[Dovecot] Version numbering

[John Peacock]

Frank Cusack wrote:
> Right, so my point is, you have the same problem and can't tell which
> 1.3.x is newer than a 1.2.x (on a feature-by-feature or bugfix-by-bugfix
> basis).  I guess it might not matter.  But it's nice to say "use 1.2.5+"
> for such-and-such feature and not have to worry that 1.3.0 doesn't actually
> include that feature.

No one should be "using" 1.3.x, since that is a dev release.  To 
emphasize what I said earlier, no new features exist in 1.2.5 that 
weren't already in 1.2.0.  1.2.x is only for bugfixes, not features. 
Features go into 1.3.x and when that branch is stable, 1.4.0 is cut and 
you start all over again at 1.5.0 for developing new features.

What this model does is to make many more small releases (no more 
RC129), each with a stable feature set.  The highest even numbered 
release is always the "best choice" and there is never any feature in an 
even numbered release that wasn't developed in the preceding 
odd-numbered dev branch.

For reference purposes, see how Apache project handles versions:

	http://apr.apache.org/versioning.html

Although this doesn't hew to the even/odd model, it is still about as 
air-tight a scheme as is possible with OSS.

John

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John Peacock
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