[actf-dev] Proposed restructure of ACTF

[Michael A Squillace <masquill@xxxxxxxxxx>]

All:

In order to ensure the advancement of
the Eclipse Accessibility Tools Framework (ACTF) project to graduation
and the related requirement to provide a project plan and release schedule
together with recent resource limitations and shifting internal priorities
at the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center (HA&AC), Kentarou
Fukuda and I, as co-technical leads and Chieko Asakawa as project lead,
are proposing a restructuring of ACTF.

The HA&AC will no longer actively
participate in this project and, therefore, our contributions, which consist
entirely of work done by IBM commiters and contributors and have no down
stream dependencies or consumers of which we are aware, will be removed
from the ACTF project.  In discussing this proposal with the Eclipse
Technology Project Management Committee (the PMC of our parent project),
two approaches have been recommended:

1. Wayne Beaton, the Technology PMC
Lead, recommends dividing ACTF into subprojects [1], presumably so that
all HA&AC-contributed componentry will reside in one subproject, that
subproject then being archived according to the Eclipse development process.[2]

2. Also from the Technology PMC, Konstantin
Komissarchik wrote, "There is really nothing stopping a project from
throwing away chunks of the code base for a variety of reasons. There is
no formal archiving process as there is for projects. You just delete the
source in CVS and that's that. Just make sure that you have involved your
entire project in the decision and have communicated your intentions accordingly
to any potential downstream consumers."[3]

Given the above recommendations by the
Technology PMC, we are proposing the following:

1. Remove from the Eclipse CVS repository
the ACTF Java Validation Componentry (Javaco) feature and its related plugins
and resources. Because contributors and commiters to this project have
been solely from the IBM HA&AC, the HA&AC will maintain control
over decisions about the project's future reactivation or enhancement (should
further requirements arise and resources permit. The last release of this
componentry (v0.4.0), both its binary and SDK versions, will remain on
the Javaco downloads page) with a notice that the componentry is no longer
actively developed or supported.[4]

2. Remove from the Eclipse CVS repository
the ACTF Web Validation Componentry (Webelo) feature and its related plugins
and resources. Because contributors and commiters to this project have
been solely from the IBM HA&AC, the HA&AC will maintain control
over decisions about the projectthe 's reactivation or enhancement (should
further requirements arise and resources permit. The last release of this
componentry (v0.2.0), both its binary and SDK versions, will remain on
the Webelo downloads page[5] with a notice that the componentry is no longer
actively developed or supported.

3. Remove from the Eclipse CVS repository
the ACTF Accessibility Probe (AccProbe) RCP application as well as its
related plugins and resources. AccProbe will remain an Eclipse RCP application
but further development and enhancements will be directed by the HA&AC
and by the IAccessible2 community residing at the Linux Foundation [6]
and in a code repository designated by that organization. The last release
of AccProbe (v0.4.4), both its binary and SDK versions, will remain on
the AccProbe downloads page[7]  with a notice that the new home of
AccProbe is the Linux Foundation.

Of course, any plugins or resources
that are shared between our components and components thus far developed
by other teams within IBM or by external committers will remain in the
Eclipse CVS repository hosting ACTF and these can be developed as their
leads see fit.

We would like feedback from the members
of the ACTF community and other interested parties regarding this proposal.
 The proposed time table for the restructure is as follows:

1. host a phone conference for the ACTF
community and other interested parties regarding this matter by the end
of January 2010.
2. receive any concerns or questions
about this proposal within four weeks of the date of this proposal being
posted to this list
3. alert the ACTF community of any changes
or updates given feedback to this proposal
4. alert the Technology PMC of the final
proposal
5. assuming there are no objections,
implement the above restructuring

We suspect that the restructuring will
be complete by the end of February 2010. We look forward to your feedback
and to speaking with you at our upcoming teleconference.

[1] http://dev.eclipse.org/mhonarc/lists/technology-pmc/msg02202.html
[2] http://www.eclipse.org/projects/dev_process/development_process.php#6_2_6_Ar
[3] http://dev.eclipse.org/mhonarc/lists/technology-pmc/msg02204.html
[4] http://www.eclipse.org/actf/downloads/components/javaco/index.php
[5] http://www.eclipse.org/actf/downloads/components/webelo/index.php
[6] http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/accessibility/iaccessible2
[7] http://www.eclipse.org/actf/downloads/tools/accprobe/index.php

--> Mike Squillace
IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center

W:512.286.8694
M:512.970.0066

External: http://www.ibm.com/able
Internal: http://w3.ibm.com/able