# $Id: RULES,v 1.6 2004/06/30 17:12:49 belaban Exp $

		  Rules developers should adhere to
		  ---------------------------------



- The decision when to move a version number is taken by the project
  administrator (currently bela). Just drop me an email if you want to
  increment a minor version number and I'll ok it. This prevents
  multiple developers from incrementing the same version number. With
  minor relases this is usually not a big deal and I'll do it
  immediately.

- Do not modify core functionality (e.g. Protocol, Scheduler, CoordGmsImpl etc)
  before consulting with one of the project administrators.

- The history file should be updated if someone made a
  modification/contribution. Not every detail, just a short note.

- New tarballs are done by the project administrator. I may delegate
  this in the future (to a number of people), but I decide when to add
  a new tarball to the download section.

- Don't use any functionality found in JDKs higher than the one
  JGroups is currently using

- Don't use any functionality not found in the reference JDK
  (e.g. from Microsoft's proprietary JDK implementation)

- There are NO restrictions with respect to programming style. Just be
  coherent. SUN advocates use of fooBar() method style.

- If you modify a file 'owned' by someone else, try to adhere to
  his/her style. Don't try to impose your style on that
  person. Ownership is basically who created the file. Once you obtain
  the ownership you can change the file if you want to.

- Try to write test drivers for your module(s) and add them to
  JGroups/tests. We use JUnit (www.junit.org) for regression
  testing. It is pretty simple to add a new test to the directory,
  e.g. by just copying an existing test driver and modifying it.

- Add the <dollarsign>Id<dollarsign> identifier to the top of all your
  files (<dollarsign> is a $, it cannot be written out otherwise it
  would get expanded by the CVS)

- Use spaces instead of tabs, or make your IDE expand tabs to
  spaces. In Emacs this can be done via the following code:
  (setq-default indent-tabs-mode nil)




Bela Ban (bela@yahoo.com)
San Jose, March 13 2001
          Dec   11 2002
          April 5 2004