Re: How do you figure version numbers?

Subject: Re: How do you figure version numbers?
From: "Mark L. Levinson" <nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il>
To: TechWr-L <TECHWR-L -at- LISTS -dot- RAYCOMM -dot- COM>
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 17:15:11 +0300

A couple of things about version numbers:

- As I think someone remarked on this list a few moons ago,
the more info you try to pack into the version number, the
more likely you will wind up with errors or with
hard-to-manage exceptions. Only two or three people
in the company will understand what all the characters
in the number mean anyway, and anyone else will need to
consult some additional source of information. So instead
of trying to cram the date, software version, product code,
and author's shirt size into the manual's version number,
why not just keep the number simple and maintain a table
that has all necessary information mapped to the simple
version number?

- I've seldom found a company with the administrative ability
to distribute a revised manual without revised software.
I've found many companies that should have the ability,
because the manual accompanying the software release is
written in a mad, uncontrollable rush. But if several
weeks later an improved and corrected manual can be offered,
they won't offer it until it can accompany a new software
version. Such an attitude, counterproductively disrespectful
both of the customer's convenience and of the writer's labor,
is reinforced by a manual version number that is determined
by a software version number.

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Mark L. Levinson - nosnivel -at- netvision -dot- net -dot- il - Herzlia, Israel
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Only half of life is quantifiable.
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