Re: [pgsql-www] PostgreSQL Graduate School Project

Moving this over to the pgsql-advocacy list where it belongs.

On 08/31/2014 06:25 PM, Dhimiter Papajani wrote:
> Hi,
> I was hoping you might be able to provide me some information about
> PostgreSQL. I am currently a graduate student, and I need to write a
> paper about the project management of an open source type of
> development. I think PostgreSQL would make for a great paper.
> I am currently looking for any information in the following areas:
>
> 1. How the project is managed?
> 2. Requirement Gathering?
> 3. Design portion handled?
> 4. Prioritization made?
> 5. Road Mapping?
> 6. Coordination
> 7. Documentation
> 8. Source Control
> 9. Release Management
> 10. Maintenance
> 11. Licensing
> 12. Contributions
>
> If you are unable to do so, or if this is simply a bad time for such
> request, I'd understand.

While in principle many of us would like to help you, the questions you
ask require extensive information, amounting to several pages of
response text.  As such, it's unlikely that you'll get the response
you're seeking just because people don't have that much free time.

Also, if this is meant to be a *short* paper, I don't think that
PostgreSQL would be the best topic.  We're a 27-year-old OSS project
with hundreds of contributors; our project management is complex and
opaque.  Most of the items you ask about above amount to political
processes.  Let me sum up:

> 1. How the project is managed?

A combination of seniority, clack, voting, politicking, and the
influence of outside companies.

> 2. Requirement Gathering?

Not generally done.

> 3. Design portion handled?

Individual feature basis.

> 4. Prioritization made?

Very little centralized prioritization.

> 5. Road Mapping?

No central road map for the general project.  Individual developers have
personal road maps.

> 6. Coordination

Mailing list.

> 7. Documentation

Combination of feature authors and documentation volunteers.

> 8. Source Control

Git.

> 9. Release Management

PostgreSQL Core Team and Packaging Team.

> 10. Maintenance

Committers.

> 11. Licensing

The PostgreSQL License

> 12. Contributions

Not sure what you're asking here.

--
Josh Berkus
PostgreSQL Experts Inc.
http://pgexperts.com