We would like you to re-use and adapt the Rangers Solutions, “but” …

  • Article

Let us have a look at the typical Ranger Solution lifecycle:

CL_1_1

  1. An idea or a dream may initiate a Ranger solution.
  2. Alternatively (and/or) an adoption-blocker may initiate a Ranger solution.
  3. The solution is designed, developed, tested, reviewed and checked for compliance issues.
  4. When ready, the solution is released to primarily Codeplex.
  5. The community submits bugs, issues, questions, further ideas and dreams, and related information to the relevant Ranger project team.
  6. Optionally the community may modify the solution by customizing, localizing or enhancing the solution.
    • The changes are optionally reported (step 5).
    • Reference and credit to the Rangers is maintained, to ensure (a) license agreement compliance and most importantly (b) to ensure that the Rangers who pour their passion, private time and experience into these solutions are remembered and recognized.
  7. When the Ranger solution goes through an upgrade or maintenance release, the feedback received in step 5 is considered for inclusion.

What is evident is that we encourage the community to customize the Ranger solutions. We deliver a starting point and often Ranger specific view, realizing that we will never have all the answers for all the challenges and opportunities we encounter in the community.

Localizations, see Rangers Guidance Localizations … Sprechen Sie Deutsch? … ¿Habla Español?, are an excellent example where Visual Studio ALM MVPs are modifying the products to suit theirlocal communities.\

Some basic guidelines, I pulled from an email thread with Bill Heys, serves as a great checklist when publishing solutions to avoid the nasty call just after midnight:

  • Ensure that you refrain from modifying or copying copyrighted material and asserting that you are the author (either explicitly or implicitly).
  • Retain or add appropriate credits to the proper authors or copyright owners when you incorporate material that is not original to you that you assert you have authored.
  • If you modify the original material, you must indicate you have done so.
  • Review the CodePlex Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License agreement which you must agree to before being able to download content such as the Ranger solutions from CodePlex and ensure you understand and comply with all conditions of the license.

All of us are treading the fine line between legal compliance and violations … “keep it simple, but legal” is probably a good mantra clip_image002