Everything -- but everything-- inside the Apache world occurs or is reflected in email. As some people say, 'If it isn't in my email, it didn't happen.' Decisions only get made on public Apache mail lists -- not anywhere off list, such as IRC, IM, or private emails.

Each project has a set of lists, which are typically called project-dev, project-user, and project-commits. A few Apache-wide lists cross all boundaries, including:

• committers: sends important messages to all Apache committers; it's not used for discussions;
• community: where all Apache committers can discuss things that are about Apache;
• infrastructure: where the roots and the infrastructure team discuss and work on the Apache infrastructure needs;
• legal-discuss: where Apache committers can ask questions that have a legal aspect;
• repository: discussions about the Apache artifact repository;
• party: where people plan how to have fun. :-)

Action items for committers include:

• Become familiar with Apache developer Tips for email contributors.
• Subscribe to the -user, -dev, and -commits lists for your project.
• Become aware of what else is going on in the Incubator by subscribing to the Incubator's general list.
• Become aware of what else is going on at the ASF by subscribing to the community, infrastructure, and legal-discuss Apache-wide lists.

Apache also has private lists. For example, your project will probably have a private mail list named project-private, which your Podling PMC will use for sensitive discussions. Never mix public and private mail lists in the same post -- see the section titled Balancing confidentiality and public discussion in How it Works. For example, never include both your dev and private lists in the same post. Posting to the dev list is sufficient because each member of your Podling PMC will also be on that list.

The Incubator Podling Websites guide documents how to get your project web site going.

• The Guide for New Committers is a great place to start and points to additional committer-only resources.

• Browse the pages at http://www.apache.org/dev/ often.

• Subscribe to the infrastructure list, then raise awareness on your project on what goes on behind the scenes.

  Be proactive about responding to infrastructure issues on your project mailing lists. Does the web server seem to be down? Is Jira or Subversion down? Check the status of servers and explain the reason to your project lists (as you can see, no need to alert the ASF infrastructure people).

If you are a member of your PPMC, become familiar with the Incubation Policy and see the Podling PMC Guide.

If you have any questions, please ask on the Incubator's general mail list.

Don't forget to check the information at:

• http://www.apache.org/dev/ -- it is one of the most current resources for committers.
• Incubator General FAQ