Re: 1.12 dev version number

[Derek Robert Price]

Kaz Kylheku wrote:

> Among the 4 options would be: do the Linux kernel thing. Odd numbers
> are experimental, even are release. So in this model, you would have a
> stable 1.10 code stream, with builds like 1.10.{1,2,3, ...} then you
> would branch it and on the trunk have experimental 1.11.{1,2,3, ...}.
> When the trunk reaches stability, you put that out as 1.12, branch it
> and switch to the odd 1.13 for the trunk.

I'm leaning towards this one, though I'm not convinced even numbers 
should be stable for three reasons:

  1. Earlier releases are presumably the development ones and 0 comes
     before 1.  0 is even.  Therefore even minor numbers should signify
     experimental versions.
  2. There is a precedent for this in the autoconf/automake trees which
     CVS build makes heavy use of.
  3. It's easier - I don't have to change the current numbering scheme
     around - 1.11.x is stable and 1.12.x will be experimental.


> The 1.12.0.x method is a way of adding another digit to create
> something distinct from 1.12.x; this is logically equivalent to using
> even versus odd numbers.

Actually, on the CVS project, the fourth version digit (always 1) 
denotes that the source came from the development tree (straight out of 
the CVS repository itself) and was not meant to be released at all.

> Instead of the zero, you could use some symbol, like ``exp'' for
> experimental. So the picture is:
>  

Actually, I dislike introducing any character into the version number. 
We've had this discussion on this list before, and I know I have been 
previously on the other side, but I'm now of the thinking that it 
complicates things unecessarily for users and automated parsers.

> #3 is bad because, again, an apparently greater version number,
> 1.12.1.1 is leading up to an apparently smaller one: 1.12.1.
>  

Naw.  I already said my first 1.12 release would be 1.12.1, thus 
rendering the ordering problem moot.

Derek

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