[Dovecot] Version numbering

[Frank Cusack]

On March 28, 2007 4:35:50 PM -0400 John Peacock <jpeacock at rowman.com> wrote:
> What this model does is to make many more small releases (no more RC129),
> each with a stable feature set.

I don't see how that's different than a/b/rc numbering.  You can still
cut as many releases as you like.

1.1.0
  1.2.0b1
  1.2.0b2
  1.2.0rc1
1.1.1
  1.2.0rc2
  1.2.0rc3
1.2.0

And of course concurrently you can have 2.0{a,b,rc}.

>  The highest even numbered release is
> always the "best choice"

With a/b/rc the highest numbered release (period, without having to
distinguish between even/odd) without a letter suffix 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.

I also don't see how that's different than a/b/rc numbering.  There would
never be a feature in (say) 1.1.1 that wasn't developed in some other
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.

That doesn't describe how features from development versions propagate
to release versions.  Or even how development versions are numbered.
Otherwise, thanks for the link.  I do like that doc.

>From the discussion here, the only difference I can see lies in what is
the "best" version.  With even/odd, it's always the highest numbered
even release.  With a/b/rc, it's always the highest numbered numeric
release.

-frank