Merge pull request #6 from david4096/5_contributing

Add apache style contributing doc

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# How to contribute to the Santa Cruz Machine Learning Cooperative
+
+The Santa Cruz Machine Learning Cooperative has a lot of ways for you to contribute!
+
+[Fork it now!](https://github.com/santacruzml/coop#fork-destination-box)
+
+Check out the project's [Issues Page](https://github.com/santacruzml/coop),
+which we use as a discussion forum. Issues which should in this repository can be voted on and resolved using
+Pull Requests!
+
+If you don't see an issue you can contribute to, feel free to [create your own](https://github.com/santacruzml/coop/issues/new)!
+
+## Contributions and Pull Requests
+
+GitHub pull requests should be used to contribute to the project repository. 
+GitHub provides a nice [overview on how to create a pull request](https://help.github.com/articles/creating-a-pull-request).
+
+Some general rules to follow:
+
+* [Fork](https://help.github.com/articles/fork-a-repo) the main project 
+  into your personal GitHub space to work on. [Fork it now!](https://github.com/santacruzml/coop#fork-destination-box)
+* Clone that fork to your local computer `git clone https://github.com/YOURNAME/coop.git` 
+* Set `santacruzml` as your upstream repository `git remote add upstream https://github.com/santacruzml/coop.git`.
+* Create a branch for each update you are working on referencing the
+  related issue in the branch name. `1_profile` was a branch to add our
+  profile image to the repository. `git checkout -b 12_my_addition`.
+* Make commits using `git commit -m "my addition"`.
+* Feel free to use long commit messages to describe your addition, however
+  please limit the first line to 80 characters.
+* You can use the special comment in your commit message `"Close #12"`, 
+  which will reference the issue related to your commit and help to make
+  sure it gets closed.
+* Upload your changes to your fork using `git push origin 12_my_addition`.
+* Create a pull request against the `santacruzml/coop:master` branch using
+  your newly pushed branch.
+
+If your Pull Request is accepted you can update your local master branch
+using `git pull upstream master`. Then, when you create new additions you
+will be using the latest code.
+
+### Squashing commits
+
+When your Pull Request is accepted your commits will be "squashed" into 
+a single commit against the `master` branch. You don't have to do this 
+yourself, it will be done by the person performing the merge.
+
+## Voting
+
+Once a pull request or issue have been submitted, anyone can comment or vote 
+on an issue to express their opinion following the Apache voting system. 
+Quick summary:
+
+- **+1** something you agree with
+- **-1** if you have a strong objection to an issue, which will be taken very 
+  seriously. A -1 vote should provide an alternative solution.
+- **+0** or **-0** for neutral comments or weak opinions.
+- It's okay to have input without voting
+- Silence gives assent
+
+A pull request with no **-1** votes is ready to be merged. The merge should be 
+done by someone from a different organization than the submitter.
+
+If an issue gets any **-1** votes, the comments on the issue need to reach 
+consensus before the issue can be resolved one way or the other. There isn't 
+any strict time limit on a contentious issue.
+
+In case a merge happens too quickly, closed pull requests can also get 
+**-1** votes, which will always need to be resolved. 
+
+The project will strive for full consensus on everything until it runs into 
+a problem with that model.
+