[Qgis-developer] Using Request for changes (RFC) in QGIS project

[Marco Hugentobler]

Dear QGIS community members,

In the last PSC meeting we agreed that QGIS needs a more formalized 
development model. One idea was to use Requests for changes (RFC), similar to 
the what UMN mapserver does (http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/development/rfc).

If you are also in favour of RFCs, we need to agree on how the procedure 
should be for the QGIS project. To start the discussion, I wrote down some 
initial ideas (see below). Please comment them and bring your own ideas. 
After the discussion, I'm going to make a document that describes the RFC 
procedure for QGIS on the Wiki.


-A QGIS Request for comment (RFC) describes a major change in technology, 
major additions to functionality, or changes in the direction of the project. 
It is published on the developer and user mailing lists and community members 
vote about it.

-It is necessary in the following cases:
Change that breaks API compatibility, merge of a branch, change in development 
model

-Procedure: 
Author publishes RFC on qgis-developer and qgis-user lists
Community votes in the next 5 working days with -1, 0, +1
Finished RFCs are stored and are available on the website, together with the 
voting result


Regards,
Marco

-- 
Dr. Marco Hugentobler
Institute of Cartography
ETH Zurich
Tecnical Advisor QGIS Project Steering Committee
marco.hugentobler at karto.baug.ethz.ch