Incubator/Notes/Apache Incubator

Three stages:
 * candidate: proposed by a sponsor (https://incubator.apache.org/guides/proposal.html), then acceptance is voted upon
 * podling: maturing project under the responsibility of one or more mentors
 * project: can be top-level or sub-project of an existing top-level

Podlings can be terminated if the mentors and incubator comittee consider there's unresolvable structural issues.

Podlings have constraints that full fledged projects don't have:
 * Can't have a toplevel website foo.apache.org, but only incubator.apache.org/foo spaces
 * Forced to release through an incubator specific space
 * All PR from the podling is reviewed for proper Apache branding use
 * All communication and websites of the podling have to mention a disclaimer that they are in incubation phase
 * ASF won't conduct any announcement for podling releases

*Minimum* requirement for a podling to graduate (mentors and committee can add more if necessary):
 * Legal
   * All code ASL'ed
   * The code base must contain only ASL or ASL-compatible dependencies
   * License grant complete
   * CLAs on file.
   * Check of project name for trademark issues
 * Meritocracy / Community
   * Demonstrate an active and diverse development community
   * The project is not highly dependent on any single contributor (there are at least 3 legally independent committers and there is no single company or entity that is vital to the success of the project)
   * The above implies that new committers are admitted according to ASF practices
   * ASF style voting has been adopted and is standard practice
   * Demonstrate ability to tolerate and resolve conflict within the community.
   * Release plans are developed and excuted in public by the community.
     * (requirement on minimum number of such releases?)
     * Note: incubator projects are not permitted to issue an official Release. Test snapshots (however good the quality) and Release plans are OK.
   * Engagement by the incubated community with the other ASF communities, particularly infrastructure@ (this reflects my personal bias that projects should pay an nfrastructure "tax").
   * Incubator PMC has voted for graduation
   * Destination PMC, or ASF Board for a TLP, has voted for final acceptance
 * Alignment / Synergy
   * Use of other ASF subprojects
   * Develop synergistic relationship with other ASF subprojects
 * Infrastructure
   * SVN module has been created
   * Mailing list(s) have been created
   * Mailing lists are being archived
   * Issue tracker has been created
   * Project website has been created and complies with the Apache Project Branding Requirements
   * Project ready to comply with ASF mirroring guidelines
   * Project is integrated with GUMP if appropriate
   * Releases are PGP signed by a member of the community
   * Developers tied into ASF PGP web of trust

Mentors are tracking the podlings against the requirements to be able to produce reports.
Regular reviews are conducted (at least quaterly) on a podling to see if progress is made.
At each review the committee decides if a podling is terminated, continued or graduated.
If mentor or podling disagree with an assessment then they can appeal to the ASF board (decision of the board is then final).