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Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:00:41 +0100 (BST)
From: Sally Khudairi <sk@apache.org>
Reply-To: Sally Khudairi <sk@apache.org>
Subject: The Apache Software Foundation Statement on Apache OpenOffice.org
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[this statement is available online at=C2=A0http://s.apache.org/XCP]=0A=0AT=
he Apache Software Foundation Statement on Apache OpenOffice.org=0A=0AOn 1 =
June 2011, Oracle Corporation submitted the OpenOffice.org code base to The=
 Apache Software Foundation. That submission was accepted, and the project =
is now being developed as a podling in the Apache Incubator under the ASF's=
 meritocratic process informally dubbed "The Apache Way".=C2=A0=0A=0AOpenOf=
fice.org is now officially part of the Apache family.=C2=A0=0A=0AThe projec=
t is known as Apache OpenOffice.org (incubating).=0A=0AOver its 12-year his=
tory, the ASF has welcomed contributions from individuals and organizations=
 alike, but, as a policy, does not solicit code donations. The OpenOffice.o=
rg code base was not pursued by the ASF prior to its acceptance into the Ap=
ache Incubator.=C2=A0=0A=0AThe Apache OpenOffice.org Podling Project Manage=
ment Committee (PPMC) and Committer list are nearly 10 times greater than t=
hose of other projects in the Apache Incubator, demonstrating the tremendou=
s interest in this project.=0A=0AAs with many highly-visible products, ther=
e has been speculation and conjecture about the future of OpenOffice.org at=
 Apache. More recently, destructive statements have been published by both =
members of the greater FOSS community and former contributors to the origin=
al OpenOffice.org product, suggesting that the project has failed during th=
e 18 weeks since its acceptance into the Apache Incubator.=0A=0AWhilst the =
ASF operates in the open =E2=80=93our code and project mailing lists are pu=
blicly accessible=E2=80=93 ASF governance permits for projects to make info=
rmation and code freely available when the project deems them ready to be r=
eleased. Apache OpenOffice.org is not at risk.=0A=0AAs an end-user-facing p=
roduct, OpenOffice.org is unique in comparison to the other nearly 170 prod=
ucts currently being developed, incubated, and shepherded at the ASF. Consi=
dered to be "ingredient brands", countless competing Web server, Cloud comp=
uting, data handling, and other solutions behind the products serving milli=
ons of users worldwide are, unbeknown to most, "Powered by Apache".=0A=0AAn=
d we're OK with that.=0A=0AMore than 70 project Committers are actively col=
laborating to ensure that the future of the OpenOffice.org code base and co=
mmunity are in alignment with The Apache Way. The project's extensive plans=
 include assessing the elements necessary to update a product that hasn't h=
ad an official release in nearly a year; parts of the product's functionali=
ty encumbered by non-Apache-Licensed components; and a code base that has b=
een forked and maintained by a community pursuing market dominance. As such=
, it is critical that we remain pragmatic about the project's next steps du=
ring this transition phase.=0A=0AWe understand that stakeholders of a proje=
ct with a 10+ year history --be they former product managers or casual user=
s-- may be unfamiliar with The Apache Way and question its methods. Those f=
ollowing the project's migration to process and culture unique to the Apach=
e community may challenge the future sustainability of the project.=0A=0ASu=
ch concerns are not atypical with the incubation of Open Source projects wi=
th well-established communities -- the successful graduation of Apache Subv=
ersion and Apache SpamAssassin, among others, are proof that The Apache Way=
 works.=0A=0AAs an all-volunteer organization, we do not compensate any con=
tributors to develop Apache code. We do, however, support those individuals=
 with relevant expertise to pursue consulting/remuneration opportunities wi=
th interested parties, but must reiterate that they are barred from doing s=
o on behalf of the ASF or any Apache initiatives -- be they Top-level Proje=
cts (TLPs) or emerging products in the Apache Incubator and Labs. Otherwise=
, they would be in violation of the Apache trademark policy, which the ASF =
strongly defends in order to protect its communities.=0A=0AAt the ASF, the =
answer is openness, not further fragmentation. There is ample room for mult=
iple solutions in the marketplace that are Powered by Apache. We welcome di=
fferences of opinion: a requirement at Apache is that a healthy project be =
supported by an open, diverse community comprising multiple organizations a=
nd individual contributors.=0A=0AWe congratulate the LibreOffice community =
on their success over their inaugural year and wish them luck in their futu=
re endeavors. We look forward to opening up the dialogue between Open Docum=
ent Format-oriented communities to deepen understanding and cease the unwar=
ranted spread of misinformation.=0A=0AWe welcome input and participation in=
 the form of constructive contributions to Apache OpenOffice.org. There are=
 myriad ways to help, from code development and documentation to community =
relations and "help desk" forums support to licensing and localization, and=
 more.=C2=A0=0A=0AThe way to move this forward is via the ASF, which owns t=
he OpenOffice.org trademark and official code base. This is our chance to b=
e able to pull together our talents towards a cohesive goal and protect the=
 project's ecosystem.=0A=0AAt a minimum, we owe that to the hundreds of mil=
lions of users of OpenOffice.org.=0A=0A-- the ASF Press team and Apache Ope=
nOffice.org incubating mentors=0A=0A=0A- Join the Apache OpenOffice.org pro=
ject MeetUp at ApacheCon, 7-11 November 2011 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. For =
more information, visit http://apachecon.com/=0A=0A- For more on Apache Ope=
nOffice.org see http://incubator.apache.org/openofficeorg/=0A- For more inf=
ormation on the Apache Incubator see http://incubator.apache.org/=0A- The A=
SF trademark policy can found at http://www.apache.org/foundation/marks/=0A=
=0A=0A"Apache", "OpenOffice.org", and "ApacheCon" are trademarks of The Apa=
che Software Foundation. All other brands and trademarks are the property o=
f their respective owners.=0A=0A# # #

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