Re: Naming of new 2.0 release
On Mon, 24 Aug 1998, Martin Schulze wrote:
> Hi,
>
> we are about releasing a new set of hamm.
>
> After we have released bo as 1.3 and increased the version number when
> we had released an updated bo with security fixes as 1.3.1 and we received
> several complaints we came to the following conclusion.
>
> The version number of a release is not going to be increased when we
> make sub-releases of the distribution. Instead the postfix "r<number>"
> will be added.
>
> This should be able to be proved in old archives of debian-devel[1].
>
> The problem of increasing the version number such as releasing 2.0.1
> and 2.0.2 is that many people, vendors, book stores etc. will think
> that this is a completely new version of Debian and the "old" ond
> is obsolete.
>
> This will make it impossible for CD vendors to sell the distribution
> since it will be "hopelessly" outdated when his cd's visit the market.
> As a result this will make it difficult for many poeple to use Debian
> since the CD vendors can't press cd's because nobody[2] would buy
> them.
This has to do with simple numbers. If the "break price" from the press
factory is 1000 units, and I can sell them for $2.00 and make a $1.00
profit, there is a chance for profit from the investment if I can sell for
2 months and ship 500 CDs per month. While both of these numbers depend on
customer response, the 2 month number can be distroyed by a "new" release.
If they come every month, the vendor will always be "breaking even" (which
really means loosing) leaving nothing for investment in the next project.
Many will not play unless the numbers are more like 3 months and 1000 CDs
per month, as there are significant overheads not associated with the cost
of the CD.
>
> Therefore I *strongly* object against calling the upcoming release
> 2.0.1. We really, really should call it 2.0 r1 instead. Yes, this
> is a big difference.
>
Very much agreement from me, even though my market share is of a different
type. If vendors like CheapBytes and LSL are to stay in business, they
must make enough profit to do more than just exist. This is a truely
trivial way that we can support their efforts.
Waiting is,
Dwarf
--
_-_-_-_-_- Author of "The Debian Linux User's Guide" _-_-_-_-_-_-
aka Dale Scheetz Phone: 1 (850) 656-9769
Flexible Software 11000 McCrackin Road
e-mail: dwarf@polaris.net Tallahassee, FL 32308
_-_-_-_-_-_- If you don't see what you want, just ask _-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Reply to: