diff --git a/GUIDELINES.md b/GUIDELINES.md index db94d87..7d07766 100644 --- a/GUIDELINES.md +++ b/GUIDELINES.md @@ -1,61 +1,69 @@ # Submission Guidelines -This list is for utilities and applications you can download. Development technologies like frameworks or databases aren't allowed. +This list is for forward facing tools. Development technologies like frameworks or databases aren't allowed. + +```Definitive-opensource``` has a **very rigorous** vetting process that involves comprehensive research into a project. Expect most submissions to be blocked or put into the backlog. + +We continously monitor projects on the list and will immediately remove projects that no longer fit the criteria. ## Criteria -To avoid the clutter trap that many other lists succumb to as they scale, only the best software is included. But "best". Here, it's mostly guaged based on five criteria. Keep in mind every criteria is more of a suggestion and can be skirted, thus, pay greater attention to the real-life examples I've included - they do a much better job of articulating what makes it onto this list. +To avoid the clutter trap that many other lists succumb to as they scale, only the best software is included. But "best" is relative. It's mostly guaged based on the following criteria - keep in mind that there can be exceptions. + +```🛑``` - This requirement cannot be bypassed. + +```⚠️``` - Not a hard value: research based requirement + +```✅``` - Open ended ### 1. Popularity -Projects with over 5000 stars are preferred. Popularity is far from the best method, but people use specific software for a reason - probably because it's halfway decent. Again, this isn't foolproof since people can be allergic to change, but the other criteria can weed out those exceptions. +- ```🛑``` The minimum star count is 1k. +- Projects with over 5000 stars are preferred. ### 2. A Foundation -A solid set of contributors, not neccesarily in quality but commitment +- ```🛑``` A minimum contributor count of 5. +- Quality is more important than quantity here. A small team can pass if they are solid and dedicated. +- ```⚠️``` The project should have stable roots, as in no internal conflicts or major disagreements that impact development. ### 3. Activity -The project must show signs of recent activity. Abandoned software will not be placed on this list - **no expections.** +- ```🛑``` A commit in the last 6 months +- ```⚠️``` The project should have consistent activity and development. ### 4. Future Proof -Going alongside the above criteria, the project must have consistent activity and evidence of a future. +- ```⚠️``` The project should have a clear roadmap or general path and the means to deliver this goal ### 5. Quality -Lastly, is the software decent? +- ```✅``` The project should be competent and decently good quality. ## Examples -Determing whether software belongs on this list often involves a lot of external research - all of which will be explored in these examples. ### 1. PearCleaner -Description: A free, source-available and fair-code licensed mac app cleaner - -Stars: 4.2k - -Contributors: 7 - - -On the surface PearCleaner woudn't fit with a relatively small amount of stars and just seven contributors. But research brings about the following conclusion: PearCleaner is one of two major app cleaners for MacOS - the other being the proprietary AppCleaner. Despite just 7 contributors, they have been continuously pushing updates on a ~two week interval. They have a solid roadmap for future updates and been delivering on those promises. - -Result: YES +- **Description:** A free, source-available and fair-code licensed mac app cleaner +- **Stars:** 4.2k +- **Contributors:** 7 +- **Explanation:** On the surface PearCleaner woudn't fit with a relatively small amount of stars and just seven contributors. But research brings about the following conclusion: PearCleaner is one of two major app cleaners for MacOS - the other being the proprietary AppCleaner. Despite just 7 contributors, they have been continuously pushing updates on a ~two week interval. They have a solid roadmap for future updates and been delivering on those promises. +- ```Result: ✅``` ### 2. Marktext -Description: A simple and elegant markdown editor, available for Linux, macOS and Windows. - -Stars: 48.1k - -Contributors: 144 - -Every part of this project passes the test... except for the fact that it's abandoned. It's still insanely popular but hasn't had a commit in 7 months and the last release was two years ago. - -Result: NO +- **Description:** A simple and elegant markdown editor, available for Linux, macOS and Windows. +- **Stars:** 48.1k +- **Contributors:** 144 +- **Explanation:** Every part of this project passes the test... except for the fact that it's abandoned. It's still insanely popular but hasn't had a commit in 7 months and the last release was two years ago. +- ```Result: 🚫``` ### 3. Zed Editor -Description - Code at the speed of thought – Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter. +- **Description:** Code at the speed of thought – Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter. +- **Stars:** 52.3k +- **Contributors:** 753 +- **Explanation:** Just about any software on this scale will make it onto this list. Zed Editor has a massive user base, a massive team, a solid roadmap, and the means to execute on those promises well into the future. +- ```Result: ✅``` + +### 4. AM +- **Description:** AppImage Package Manager: AppImage sandboxing, local and system installation, update all AppImages +- **Stars:** 618 +- **Contributors:** 27 +- **Explanation:** This is really tough one. The concept is extraordinary and it has a dedicated team working hard to bring their vision to reality. Even so, the project is fairly new and rough around the edges - and it falls behind on a hard-coded requirement: it has less than 1k stars. This goes into our prospective backlog for projects that just barely don't make it and will be monitored. +- ```Result: 🧰``` -Stars: 52.3k - -Contributors: 753 - -Just about any software on this scale will make it onto this list. Zed Editor has a massive user base, a massive team, a solid roadmap, and the means to execute on those promises well into the future. - -Result: YES