avox wrote: > We also use the even/odd versioning scheme, so > > 1.2.x - stable > 1.3.x - development > 1.4.x - stable > 1.5.x - development > > > Unfortunately, when developing version 1.3.3, we realized that > a) most users used the latest development release (1.3.2 or 1.3.3) instead > of 1.2 > b) we needed to break some things really badly in the next development > release (1.3.4) > > So we just declared 1.3.3.x as the latest stable version (that's why I also > call it a stabilized > development version) and have been releasing minor stable version 1.3.3.x > ever since. > > Then we went on and broke lots of stuff in the 1.3.4 development version. > Still, some users use that version... > > After that, we ported Scribus from Qt3 to Qt4, that took a long time and we > had to rewrite lots of code. > During that time we also fixed a lot of the bugs present in 1.3.4, and > accepted additional contributions > (two GSoC projects: LaTeX frames and imposition, aspell plugin). So we hope > that, when it's released, > 1.3.5 will be a better 1.3.4 - but still a development version. > > I think we'll also rework our roadmap: lot's of the stuff is going to be > moved to 1.5.x so we can release > a stable 1.4 earlier. Missing stuff before 1.4 is mainly fileformat changes > and internal object model. > > My guess is we'll see 1.3.6, 1.3.7 and 1.3.8 and then 1.4.
I think these are perfectly valid reasons for the current versioning scheme of Scribus releases, and I consider stabilizing the 1.3.3 branch a wise step. However, while everybody on this list will -- sooner or later -- know the difference between 1.3.3.* and 1.3.* branches (at least after having read the above explanations), this subtle difference in numbering seems to cause some confusion in the outer world -- e.g. this article http://www.linux.com/feature/123592 or comments to this one http://www.pro-linux.de/news/2008/12178.html prove that some people got mixed up. On the other side, the growing gap between 1.3.3.* and 1.3.* would justify much bolder difference in version numbers. I wonder, if it isn't time to reconsider the version numbers and make a clean cut as soon as possible. E.g.: * 1.3.3.11 could become the 1.4 release (stable branch, 1.3.3.10 deserves it, imho) * 1.3.5 could be the 1.5 release (developement branch) This move would hurt only for a short while (nothing, you cannot iron out with decent release notes) and spare us some confusion in the long run. What do you think? cheers Maciej
