[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change (original) (raw)

Skip Montanaro skip@pobox.com
Mon, 8 Apr 2002 15:42:42 -0500 

Alex> It seems to me that duplicating (in your example) 2.3.8 to 2.4.0
Alex> (and using 2.5.0 as the new baseline for further experimentation)
Alex> would be a very clear signal in this sense.

This is essentially the Linux kernel release model, yes? Once 2.3.8 morphs simultaneously into 2.4.0 and 2.5.0, the 2.3.x branch dies. New development goes into 2.5.0 and bugfixes go into both branches, as appropriate.

I think an important question is what happens to the 2.2.x branch once 2.4.0 is released? Should it die (in the sense of never getting another micro release)? I think that would be a fair approach, otherwise you have an ever-increasing support burden, trying to handle more and more releases. Was there ever a huge clamor for 1.5.3? It seems that for many people the heavens opened and Gabriel descended with a 1.5.2 CD. ;-)

Skip