Celebrating the Apache Software Foundation's 20th anniversary

This week we join free and open source software communities around the world in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). It’s a huge milestone, and as we reflect on it we know there’s a lot to be grateful for.

Google makes extensive use of Apache projects, contribute our own, and most of our open source projects are released under an Apache 2 license. Our community of Googlers decided to mark 20 years of The Apache Way by sharing their thoughts about ASF…

… and we can hardly think of a more fitting way than to do that in the style of a mailing list thread:

FWD: [Discuss] 20 years of The Apache Way

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From: Gris Cuevas <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2019 at 9:20 a.m.

Subject: Fwd: [DISCUSS] 20 years of The Apache Way

To: The World <[email protected]>

When we think about the early days of the Internet one of the first names that comes to mind is the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and its contributions to Open Source! In fact, as I was recently told by a friend in the community, whenever she hears “Apache”, in a technology context, she automatically thinks about the Internet. I was in awe of her testament!

Here are the things I’d love to raise my glass to:

The Apache Way, for Being an Impressive Model for Collaborative Development

Technology as we know it wouldn’t be possible without the outstanding contributions of volunteers from all over the world, who under the umbrella of “The Apache Way,” have developed and maintained some of the most sophisticated software over the years.

When I joined Apache Beam, just a few months after its graduation as a top-level project, I realized how much work could be accomplished by the collaborative culture and the consensus driven decision making fostered by the ASF. Sure, sometimes things might drag a little behind the release schedule. But looking at the big picture, the developments that occurred in the last 20 years have significantly changed and enhanced our lives as they became the backbone and remain at the forefront of technology innovation.

The Community > Code

The Apache model recognizes contributors that help a project thrive, not only with code but also with contributions in project advocacy, documentation and community management. When I became the second non-code committer to Apache Beam, I realized how lucky I was to be part of a project that recognizes contributions of all type. I felt empowered and even more committed to the project. I’m passionate about building communities in open source, which aim to better the world, and I am committed to fostering a positive, diverse culture in which all ideas and perspectives are welcome and all members of  the community have an equal opportunity to influence the technology.

The Apache Way model positions the community at the center of a project, caring for the individuals, their rights and responsibilities. People participate based on their merit and not based on any external affiliation, title, or education.

Ever since, my mission has been to act as an ambassador for Apache projects at Google and to increase our contributions to Apache projects.

I hope you all join us, sharing stories and taking a moment to be grateful for what 20 years of strong open source practices have brought to the world.

Gris Cuevas

Google Cloud - Open Source Strategist

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From: Aizhamal Nurmamat kyzy <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2019 at 8:26 a.m.

Subject: Fwd: [DISCUSS] 20 years of The Apache Way

To: The World <[email protected]>

What a great occasion to celebrate! 20 years is no easy feat, and as the Apache Way has taught us, something like this can only be accomplished through enabling communities to grow healthily.

I want to raise my glass to the many ways in which the Apache Way has been implemented across all of the Apache projects. As I’ve been becoming familiar with different communities, I’ve observed how each one is different. Some of them are young and full of energy. Others are older and wiser. They have all adopted the Apache Way, and implemented it in ways that suit them. This has let them build vibrant and diverse communities, attract new users and contributors, and help them mature into full citizens of their projects.

As a new contributor, seeing these different communities thrive fills me with hope that 20 years is just the beginning, and we will see many more years of exciting projects and communities coming from the ASF.

So, cheers to 20 years of great communities! And here’s to 20 more!

Aizhamal Nurmamat kyzy

Google Cloud - Open Source Program Manager

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From: Joana Carrasqueira <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2019 at 8:20 a.m.

Subject: [DISCUSS] 20 years of The Apache Way

To: The World <[email protected]>

Hello community,

I would like to invite you all to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Apache Software Foundation on March 26th!

To acknowledge this historic moment, I would like to start a [Discuss] thread so everyone can share Apache related milestones and memories they would like to celebrate with our vibrant community!

Apache Software is so ubiquitous that I believe it is safe to say that the ASF can be hailed as one of the most successful influencers in Open Source and I feel very grateful for being part of this vibrant community.

I would like to start by raising my glass to the organization of the Beam Summits 2019! It is an absolute pleasure being part of the team that is behind the scenes, pulling these events together to ensure we provide new and advanced contributors with the best tools and resources to continuously support the Apache Beam Project. In addition, I am very grateful for supporting the development of a diverse community, creating the mechanisms by which everybody can share knowledge and expertise.

Please join me in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Apache Software Foundation and the contributions of thousands of contributors, who work every day to make the Apache community a success!

Joana Carrasqueira

Google Cloud - Open Source Events Manager