[jakarta.ee-spec.committee] specification process document requirements

[Bill Shannon <bill.shannon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I believe our goal is to define an Eclipse spec process that can be
used by other non-Jakarta EE projects, as well as a customization of that
process for Jakarta EE.

I expect the Jakarta EE spec process document to cover two main items:

1. The "mechanics" of moving a spec through the process.
2. Technical requirements on specs that use the Java trademark.

#1 would be largely identical to the Eclipse spec process.
#2 would clearly be part of the Jakarta EE customization of the spec process.

For #1, I'm imagining a document similar to the JCP process document
https://jcp.org/en/procedures/jcp2
or the OASIS Technical Committee Process
https://www.oasis-open.org/policies-guidelines/tc-process-2017-05-26
that describes at least:

- how a spec enters the process
- what steps a spec must take as it moves through the process
- how a final spec is approved
- the role of the Specification Committee in the above
- who votes when and how on the above items and how votes are counted
- what happens when a vote fails
- how to transfer leadership of a spec/implementation/TCK
- how the spec process itself evolves

The Eclipse Development Process may provide a framework for much
of the above, which should certainly accelerate producing a complete
spec process document.

Clearly Oracle will provide #2.  I'm expecting it to be incorporated
into the spec process by addition of a rule something like this:

  Any of the specification projects that make use of the Java trademark
  (listed in Appendix A) must follow the additional rules and restrictions
  listed in Appendix B.

An early draft of proposed rules and restrictions is available here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16OttV-FHv-OtSYwa1H74dtQatO4a-9E1QnP9LYyTBsY/edit
This document is out of date but gives you a general idea of the sorts
of rules we expect to impose on projects that use the Java trademark.


The spec committee has spent a lot of time talking about items that I
*don't* think need to be part of the spec process document.  We should,
however, decide whether they need to be required rules for a Jakarta EE
customization of the Eclipse spec process, or whether they are merely
conventions that we recommend that EE4J projects follow.

These include:

- Java package names for new specs
- Maven group IDs
- Version numbers
- TCK appeals process

There are several other items that are related to the spec process but
I don't think are actually part of the spec process:

- the spec license
- rules for use of the Jakarta EE brand


Do we all agree that producing a specification process document as described
above is the top priority for the Specification Committee?