[eclipse.org-committers] Extending Parallel IP to Mature Projects

["Janet Campbell" <janet.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Right on the heels of the Ganymede release, we'd like to announce that we are extending the benefits of parallel IP to mature projects in certain cases.   I have included the nitty gritty below, but in general, mature projects will be able to leverage parallel IP for third party packages where we have reviewed and approved the previous version of the package and it hasn't changed a great deal since we looked at it last.

 

What this Means for You:

 

How do I leverage it?   Submit CQs as usual, we'll identify those submissions eligible for parallel IP and let you know.

 

When can I leverage it?  We will begin the process of going through our queue to see what existing submissions from Mature Projects are eligible for parallel IP today.  New submissions will automatically be considered.

 

How do I know when I can Check the Code into CVS/SVN?   We will let you know on your bug.  The keyword "checkintocvs" will appear on the bug together with a comment letting you know that you can check the code into CVS/SVN.

 

Why isn't everything eligible for parallel IP?  The IP Advisory Committee to the Board wanted to strike a balance between enabling the projects and risk mitigation.  It felt that the proposal outlined in detail below, struck the right balance.

 

The Nitty Gritty:

 

The following changes to the IP approval process used by Eclipse projects has been approved by the Board: 

 

a)  That the “parallel IP” process be extended to allow “diffs in mature projects.”  Specifically:  Where the EMO requires that a committer submit and receive approval prior to committing a contribution or 3rd party package (“Content”) to the CVS repository or otherwise making available such content on behalf of a mature project, the EMO may grant a “diff approval” (“Diff Approval”) if the following conditions are met: 

i)  An earlier version of the Content has already received “full approval” (i.e. non-parallel approval). 
ii)  The differences between the versions are not, in the opinion of the EMO, significant enough to warrant full clearance prior to the Content being committed to the repository or otherwise made available on behalf of a mature project.  
iii)  The Board has approved the distribution license for the Content (the license presented to consumers of the Content) if it is not the same as the distribution license of the earlier version.
iv)  Full approval will be obtained prior to the Content being made available in a release candidate.

b)  Mature projects may only make available content (including content that may originate from incubator projects) that has received full approval, or Diff Approval in accordance with the above process.

c)  The Board directs the EMO to develop a policy for notifying consumers of Eclipse content that a download may contain content that has not yet received full approval.  Cases where such notification is specifically required include but are not limited to: i)  Incubator project downloads ;  ii)  “Release train” downloads .

 

If you have any questions, please let us know!

 

Cheers,

Janet

 

Janet Campbell

Legal Counsel & Manager, Intellectual Property

Phone:  +1.613.224.9461, x.229 (GMT -5)

Fax:  +1.613.224.5172

janet.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxx