Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:30:23 +0200
From: Christoph Berg <myon@debian.org>
To: PostgreSQL WWW <pgsql-www@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: PostgreSQL Contributor levels
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We have this curated list of PostgreSQL Contributors on the website:
https://www.postgresql.org/community/contributors/
There are two levels currently (3 when counting the Core Team):
* Major Contributor
* Contributor

You are a "Contributor" when you appear on this list.

But we also have long lists of "individuals [who] have contributed" in
the release notes:
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/17/release-17.html#RELEASE-17-ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

You are a contributor when you contributed to the release.

Clearly, there are more ways to contribute, and the term "Contributor"
on the curated list should probably be more specific.

In the Contributors Team, we have been floating around ideas on
how the structure should look like in the future, but we would like to
gather more input from the project.

* People put high value in the curated list (people get hired for
  being in there), so we try to keep the standards high.

* At the same time, we want to be more inclusive. People in the
  release notes are clearly contributors as well, so we are thinking
  about adding a 3rd category.

* We need (at least) a better name for "Contributor" (currently level 2).
  Ideas included "Sustained Contributor" and "Recognized Contributor",
  but there are probably better ideas.

* If we add a (low threshold, easy to get into) 3rd level, we need a
  name. Maybe "Acknowledged Contributor", maybe just "Contributor".

* "Major Contributor" is probably fine.

* It's not yet clear how we would present 3 levels in that list, as the
  page is currently already very long. Possibly the 3rd level would
  appear in a separate page.

* A related project (to be discussed in parallel) is introducing
  contributor tags/badges like "PG 18 contributor" "PG committer" or
  "PGconf.EU 2025 organzier" that we could show in the list or related
  pages. Getting tags/badges would then likely bring people into the
  3rd level.

Any feedback or input is welcome!

Christoph