Flex Summit – Live Updates (Day 2)

» Posted

[Wrap up]

- Contribute Flex 4.6 SDK, Flex 3.6 SDK, BlazeDS, FalconJS, new Spark components and functional testing framework
- COntribute Falcon with AS3 support
- Develop new Flash Builder productivity features
– will use mxmlc, not falcon
– will ship with Apache SDK support release of Builder
- Publish Flex whitepaper early 2012

Adobe will do the following…

- Whether FalconJS can be contributed before Falcon AS is complete
- Plan for when we contribute Falcon AS via Apache
- Duration of runtime support commitment for Flex applications
- Availability and duration of new and renewed Adobe Flex SDK support contracts
- Open source contribution of related technologies:
blazeds.net, server-side AS, LCDS, LCCS, TLF, Gravity, FXG, OSMF

Adobe will follow up on…

- new spark components and functional testing framework are desirable
- explicit time period for runtime support required
- clarification required on how long Adobe support contracts will be available for purchase/renewal for Adobe Flex SDK
- FalconJS in current state is valuable to community
- Prefer Builder productivity features (sooner) over Falcon MXML (later)
- Enable community to deliver Falcon MXML support sooner than 2013

Flex Summit: Summary and Actions

Q&A: Who controls the roadmap? No one.

Q&A: What if you have a conference/product/project/user group containing the “Flex” name? There is some legal discussions that need to be addressed as part of the incubator process. If this concerns you do watch the incubator process.

Q&A: Will Adobe still sign RSLs? No, due to legal issues. We will discuss the process to an “Apache Signed RSL”.

Initial Committers List:
Alex Harui
Carol Frampton
Rani Kumar
Jim Murphy
Deepa Subramaniam

[showing the proposal]

Requires, IP clearance and license clearing.

Once submitted to Apache will sit for 72 hours for voting into the incubator.

Incubation Proposal

Q&A: Can a project have “side libraries”? Yes.

Next up, Mike Labriola (with Spoon) talking about contributions that for Flex.

First up. Corey (with SAS) talking about changes they have made to the Flex SDK they would like to contribute.

Greg Wilson up talking about community contributions.

[Quick Break]

“Apache is what you make of it.” – @fielding

Q&A: How to get out of incubation? Podlings need to make a release and get the incubator PMC to vote the Podling out of incubation.

“Most great software is developed by teams of 12 people” – @fielding

Q&A: What code review structure do you provide? Everything is up to the individual project.

Q&A: Can you talk more about version control, trunk, branch, and “release”? A release is a way to say “public release ready for use by even non contributors”.

Q&A: Does Apache contributions effect involvement level? Giving $ to Apache doesn’t effect voting rights or anything else. Just warm fuzzies.

Q&A: Does Apache contributions go to a project? No, to Apache. (for Flex you’d have to either contribute directly or give to developers on the project… Spoon)

Q&A: How does a project do QA? That is up to the project and the developers.

The community is central to everything @fielding

“JAVA” is just as proprietary as Flash’ @fielding

“If no one outside of Adobe employees sign up to contribute, Apache will not accept Flex” – @fielding

- The future is what you make of it
– all Apache work is based on someone needing something at some point and just doing it
– all Apache tecnical decisions are discussed and implemented on public mailing lists
– all you have to do to start is subscribe and participate

- Open Source == Shared Custom Software
– community is more important than code
– but the code is needed to form a community

- Apache releases when the software is ready

Regarding concerns about “the future of flex”

- new projects start in the incubator
– ensures that big contributions are properly licensed
– assists proposed projects (podlings) in forming a community
– mentors podlings on how to follow “the apache way”
– provides official apache votes on incubating releases

- annoying complex and bureaucratic
– discourages contributions that are not long-term
– encourages graduation to TLP (self-governing) status

- records all significant milestones for posterity

Apache Incubator

- individual commitment – community
- parallelization -> open architecture
- Dynamic Awareness -> issues & commit mail
- Shared workspace -> apache subversion / git*
- Agree how to disagree & decide -> Apache-style voting (+1/0/-1)
- A Shared Goal -> Open Standards
- Neutral Forum / License -> Apache Software Foundation

Keys to Effective Collaboration in Open Development

[Philosophy slides... being skipped]

- Small quorum consensus
– votes +1 = yes, 0 = shrug, -1 = no vote/veto
– just need 3 votes to move forward within 3 day window

Conflict Resolution via Voting

- Trusted “core” developers
– write access to the version control repo (shared space)
– work on what they want, when they want
– release pressure expands what they want to include the common goal of a complete distribution
- Development creates issues and conflicts
– choosing among features and alternative fixes
– avoiding server bloat
– setting project direction
- Voting is used to resolve conflicts

Apache Development Process

No offices, few meetings, many mailing lists

Thousands of releases

1-8 TB/day traffic on www

390 members (shareholders)

>2700 committers

4,368 individual CLAs

365 corporate CLAs (corporation licensing agreements)

97 top-level projects (+50 or so incubating)

“Apache is one of the largest software companies”

[Going through what Apache is, how Day worked with Apache, and how Day got started]

- Internet-scale leverage
– let others expand market
- Community Spirit
– self-directed volunteers
– constructive feedback
– devoted customers
- Worldwide exposure
– enhanced reputation
– improved recruiting & retention
- being part of something greater

The purpose of working with Apache isn’t just open source, it’s open development with collaboration.

On Stage, Roy Fielding to talk about Apache.
Credentials: Original founder of Apache.

900 – 930
We are all getting in and firing up the live stream. Things will be starting soon. Today is going to be very much about Apache and people’s involvement. Make sure to tweet and post questions.

830 – 900
Getting into Adobe and setting up for the day.

Setup:

We will be posting updates here throughout the day. Make sure to post any questions at: http://openspoon.uservoice.com/forums/142644-future-of-flex-questions-for-adobe

Live Stream at: http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/flexsummit

Yesterday’s Live Blog:
http://www.spoon.as/2011/flex-summit-live-updates/

Format hints.

Slide Content:
- level 1
– level 2
— level 3

Questions from the crowd
Q&A: Questions? Answer.

New Section / New Slide
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*All content is presented in reverse order.

Tweet questions to @spoonproject