Merge pull request #566 from taketwo/update-contributing-guide

Update contributing guide

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ patches and features.
 ## Using the issue tracker
 
 The [issue tracker](https://github.com/PointCloudLibrary/pcl/issues) is
-the preferred channel for [bug reports](#bugs) and
-[submitting pull requests](#pull-requests), but please respect the following
+the preferred channel for submitting [pull requests](#pull-requests) and
+[bug reports](#bugs), but please respect the following
 restrictions:
 
 * Please **do not** use the issue tracker for personal support requests (use
@@ -23,6 +23,39 @@ restrictions:
   respect the opinions of others.
 
 
+<a name="pull-requests"></a>
+## Pull requests
+
+Good pull requests - patches, improvements, new features - are a fantastic
+help. They should remain focused in scope and avoid containing unrelated
+commits.
+
+**Please ask first** before embarking on any significant pull request (e.g.
+implementing features, refactoring code), otherwise you risk spending a lot of
+time working on something that the project's developers might not want to merge
+into the project. Please read the [tutorial on writing a new PCL class](http://pointclouds.org/documentation/tutorials/writing_new_classes.php#writing-new-classes) if you want to contribute a
+brand new feature.
+
+If you are new to Git, GitHub, or contributing to an open-source project, you
+may want to consult the [step-by-step guide on preparing and submitting a pull request](https://github.com/PointCloudLibrary/pcl/wiki/A-step-by-step-guide-on-preparing-and-submitting-a-pull-request).
+
+
+<a name="checklist"></a>
+### Checklist
+
+Please use the following checklist to make sure that your contribution is well
+prepared for merging into PCL:
+
+1. Source code adheres to the coding conventions described in [PCL Style Guide](http://pointclouds.org/documentation/advanced/pcl_style_guide.php).
+   But if you modify existing code, do not change/fix style in the lines that
+   are not related to your contribution.
+
+2. Commit history is tidy (no merge commits, commits are [squashed](http://davidwalsh.name/squash-commits-git)
+   into logical units).
+
+3. Each contributed file has a [license](#license) text on top.
+
+
 <a name="bugs"></a>
 ## Bug reports
 
@@ -62,109 +95,53 @@ Example:
 > merits).
 
 
-<a name="pull-requests"></a>
-## Pull requests
-
-Good pull requests - patches, improvements, new features - are a fantastic
-help. They should remain focused in scope and avoid containing unrelated
-commits.
-
-**Please ask first** before embarking on any significant pull request (e.g.
-implementing features, refactoring code), otherwise you risk spending a lot of
-time working on something that the project's developers might not want to merge
-into the project. Please read the [tutorial on writing a new PCL class](http://pointclouds.org/documentation/tutorials/writing_new_classes.php#writing-new-classes) if you want to contribute a
-brand new feature.
-
-<a name="checklist"></a>
-### Checklist
-
-Please use the following checklist to make sure that your contribution is well
-prepared for merging into PCL:
-
-1. Source code adheres to the coding conventions described in [PCL Style Guide](http://pointclouds.org/documentation/advanced/pcl_style_guide.php).
-   But if you modify existing code, do not change/fix style in the lines that
-   are not related to your contribution.
-
-2. Commit history is tidy (no merge commits, commits are [squashed](http://davidwalsh.name/squash-commits-git)
-   into logical units).
-
-3. Each contributed file has a [license](http://pointclouds.org/documentation/tutorials/writing_new_classes.php#licenses) text on top.
-
-### Suggested process
-
-Adhering to this process is the best way to get your work included in the
-project:
-
-1. [Fork](http://help.github.com/fork-a-repo/) the project, clone your fork,
-   and configure the remotes:
-
-   ```bash
-   # Clone your fork of the repo into the current directory
-   git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/pcl.git
-   # Navigate to the newly cloned directory
-   cd pcl
-   # Assign the original repo to a remote called "upstream"
-   git remote add upstream https://github.com/PointCloudLibrary/pcl.git
-   ```
-
-2. If you cloned a while ago, get the latest changes from upstream:
-
-   ```bash
-   git checkout master
-   git pull upstream master
-   ```
-
-3. Create a new topic branch (off the main project development branch) to
-   contain your feature, change, or fix:
-
-   ```bash
-   git checkout -b <topic-branch-name>
-   ```
-
-4. Commit your changes in logical chunks. For any Git project, some good rules
-   for commit messages are
-
-   * the first line is commit summary, 50 characters or less,
-   * followed by an empty line
-   * followed by an explanation of the commit, wrapped to 72 characters.
-
-   See [a note about git commit messages](http://tbaggery.com/2008/04/19/a-note-about-git-commit-messages.html)
-   for more.
-
-   The first line of a commit message becomes the **title** of a pull request on
-   GitHub, like the subject line of an email. Including the key info in the
-   first line will help us respond faster to your pull.
-
-   If your pull request has multiple commits which revise the same lines of
-   code, it is better to [squash](http://davidwalsh.name/squash-commits-git)
-   those commits together into one logical unit.
-
-   But you don't always have to squash -- it is fine for a pull request to
-   contain multiple commits when there is a logical reason for the separation.
-
-5. Locally merge (or rebase) the upstream development branch into your topic
-   branch:
-
-   ```bash
-   git pull [--rebase] upstream master
-   ```
-
-6. Push your topic branch up to your fork:
-
-   ```bash
-   git push origin <topic-branch-name>
-   ```
-
-7. [Open a Pull Request](https://help.github.com/articles/using-pull-requests/)
-    with a clear title and description.
-
-8. After your Pull Request is away, you might want to get yourself back onto
-   `master` and delete the topic branch:
-
-   ```bash
-   git checkout master
-   git branch -D <topic-branch-name>
-   ```
-
-**IMPORTANT**: By submitting a patch, you agree to allow the project owners to
-license your work under the the terms of the [BSD License](LICENSE.txt).
+<a name="license"></a>
+## License
+
+PCL is 100% [BSD licensed](LICENSE.txt), and by submitting a patch, you agree to
+allow Open Perception, Inc. to license your work under the terms of the BSD
+License. The corpus of the license should be inserted as a C++ comment on top
+of each `.h` and `.cpp` file:
+
+```cpp
+/*
+ * Software License Agreement (BSD License)
+ *
+ *  Point Cloud Library (PCL) - www.pointclouds.org
+ *  Copyright (c) 2014-, Open Perception, Inc.
+ *
+ *  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *  are met:
+ *
+ *   * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *   * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+ *     copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ *     disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+ *     with the distribution.
+ *   * Neither the name of the copyright holder(s) nor the names of its
+ *     contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *     from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *  "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *  LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ *  FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ *  COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ *  INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ *  BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ *  LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ *  CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+ *  LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
+ *  ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ *  POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ */
+```
+
+Please note that if the academic institution or company you are affiliated with
+does not allow to give up the rights, you may insert an additional copyright
+line.