This policy governs the development process.
HOTDOG is intended to provide the most robust implementation possible by allowing multiple design paths to be developed, evaluated, and tested. To that end, development will be broken into spirals and at least two different avenues of exploration will be explored. Each of those competing implementations will live as a branch of the code. If a dispute arises between teams, they may bifurcate into a new branch at any time. Developers can feel free to contribute to an number of branches. Everyone who commits code gets a credit in the end, whether their code makes it into the final form of the product or not.
The only rules on naming branches is keep it friendly, and NOBODY, not even the Benevolent Dictator commits or merges into trunk until the Community has reached a consensus on the winner.
StealingMerging code from the other implementation is encouraged. External dependencies are also ok, if it means the implementation to hotdog is simpler and more concise. Just include the grabbing of that external source code in your build process.