Re: Updating release version to 22.1

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

storm@cua.dk (Kim F. Storm) writes:

> I already have made, but not installed, the necessary changes to
> update the trunk release version to 22.1.
>
> When we last discussed this issue, RMS said he preferred negative
> numbers for the CVS and pretest versions.  
>
> So the CVS version will be updated to 22.1.-999, and pretests will be
> numbered 22.1.-998 , 22.1.-997 , etc.
>
> Unless someone strongly objects, I will install these changes later
> today (within the next 12 hours).

Apart from my stomach turning at that convention, I believe that most
version number comparison systems will be thwarted by the task of
comparing the respective versions, and humans will be confused with
the task of telling the versions apart.  "Well, you said this was
fixed in 22.1.-25, but I already have 22.1.-30 installed".  Or, more
seriously, "This was supposed to work starting with 22.1, and I
already have 22.1.-30".  Google searches ignore "-" signs, anyway, so
looking for a particular version is going to throw in arbitrary
preleases when searching for released packages.

The numbering scheme may be geeky, but for all practical purposes it
will cause trouble.  Consider this a strong objection.  I would
appreciate getting at least the impression that the above reasons have
registered before I get overridden.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum