Merge pull request #1 from kamalmarhubi/bootstrap

Bootstrap the RFC process

Author: kamalmarhubi

text/0000-bootstrap.md

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+- Start Date: 2016-05-01
+- RFC PR: (leave this empty)
+- Nix Issue: (leave this empty)
+
+# Summary
+[summary]: #summary
+
+Implement a lightweight RFC process for the nix project.
+
+# Motivation
+[motivation]: #motivation
+
+Development on nix has been going well over the last few months. For the most
+part, adding APIs and working out how to adapt them to be more Rust-friendly
+has worked really well. However, there are some tougher design choices where
+there's been stagnation. Some examples:
+
+- string handling in nix (https://github.com/nix-rust/nix/issues/221)
+- the future of nix, including crate organization
+  (https://github.com/nix-rust/nix/issues/190)
+
+The RFC process gives a place to discuss and document major design
+decisions. This provides readers with both the final decision in a clean form
+and the discussion that lead up to it.
+
+We have already created a [conventions document][conventions] to help newcomers
+to the library understand how nix approaches its APIs. Larger additions to that
+document would also go through the RFC process.
+
+[conventions]: https://github.com/nix-rust/nix/blob/master/CONVENTIONS.md
+
+
+# Detailed design
+[design]: #detailed-design
+
+*The contents of this section will make up the bulk of the RFC repository's
+README after this RFC is accepted.*
+
+The nix RFC process is modelled after [the one Rust uses][rust-rfc-process] but
+adjusted to be lighter weight. Credit for the lightness also goes to the
+[intermezzOS project's RFC process][intermezzos-rfcs].
+
+[rust-rfc-process]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs#what-the-process-is
+[intermezzos-rfcs]: https://github.com/intermezzOS/rfcs
+
+To initially discuss a topic, open an issue on [the RFC repo][nix-rfcs]. We’ll
+discuss things in those issues.
+
+[nix-rfcs]: https://github.com/nix-rust/rfcs
+
+When a proposal is ready to be made, submit a pull request adding a new file in
+the `text` directory. More detailed steps:
+  - Fork the RFC repo http://github.com/nix-rust/rfcs
+  - Copy `0000-template.md` to `text/0000-my-rfc-name.md` (where `my-rfc-name`
+    is descriptive. don't assign an RFC number yet).
+  - Fill in the RFC, and open the pull request
+
+We’ll discuss things in the PR, and then either merge or not. The RFC text will
+likely change as we discuss it; those changes should be added to the PR as
+additional commits without squashing or rebasing to keep a record of the them.
+
+
+# Drawbacks
+[drawbacks]: #drawbacks
+
+It adds some process where there was none.
+
+# Alternatives
+[alternatives]: #alternatives
+
+## No process
+
+We could continue as we have. This has already resulted in some stagnant areas
+where we need to make a decision to move forward. 
+
+## More process
+
+We could instead opt for a heavier process. It is most likely not warranted for
+the size of the project.
+
+# Unresolved questions
+[unresolved]: #unresolved-questions
+
+How do we accept an RFC? Consensus among maintainers? A quorum of
+maintainers? If so, how many? Do we signal it in comments on the PR?