Proposal Process

The Proposal Process is the way we collaborate to improve OVAL, including:

  • Fixing a defect in the OVAL schemas or documentation
  • Adding new features, tests, or platforms
  • Updating these Guidelines (e.g. the Developer Guides, Content Repository Listings, etc.)
  • Updating this Proposal Process itself!

In fact, the only things that are NOT updated via the Proposal Process are:

Process Overview

Here is a quick rundown of the process. Please click through the links to read more about each phase.

  1. Create an Issue: anyone may create an Issue describing a problem or suggesting an enhancement
  2. Initial Proposal: anyone may submit a Proposal for resolving the Issue so the community can review and provide feedback
  3. Alternate Proposals: community members may submit Alternate Proposals for resolving the Issue
  4. Objections: community members may also Object to a Proposal if they think it conflicts with an OVAL Design Principle
  5. Consensus Building: the relevant Area Supervisor decides when there is Rough Consensus for adopting a Proposal
  6. Release Process: the adopted Proposal is released into Development and considered for release into Stable and Official