[OSGeo-Discuss] How not to suck at github - handling drive by commits

[Jody Garnett]

I have mentioned this in email/blog posts, but with the recent discussion
on GitHub I would like to send a reminder.

If your project is operating on GitHub please include
an CONTRIBUTING.md file. This link will provided on the pull-request page
for potential contributors.

Here are some examples:

- https://github.com/geotools/geotools/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md
- https://github.com/geoserver/geoserver/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md

GitHub provides excellent documentation (the reason uDig migrated for
Gitourious) and the fork/pull-request workflow makes "drive by commits"
very easy. This CONTRIBUTIONS.md gives your team a chance to communicate
any terms (include a test case, sign a contribution agreement) clear.

Many of us are comfortable with open source as a user, understanding the
difference between GPL and BSD for example. The outline the terms for users
of the software. There is a second level of open source licenses outlining
the terms the project team requires when accepting contributions back into
the "core" codebase.

For an example "Apache Style" contributor license agreements are available
for OSGeo Projects here:
http://www.osgeo.org/content/foundation/legal/licenses.html

--
Jody Garnett
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