Bug#186102: version numbering for date-releases is flawed

[Josip Rodin <joy@srce.hr>]

Package: debian-policy

Hi,

The Policy section "Version numbers based on dates" recommends using simply
YYYYMMDD for versions based on dates.

However, it is not uncommon for upstream authors to release date-based
versions for betas, and then later switch to e.g. 1.0 for "proper" releases.
In such cases, people who used YYYYMMDD need to use epochs to switch to X.Y.

This would be fixed by recommending to prepending additional zeros to
YYYYMMDD. I would probably go for 0.0.YYYYMMDD. Someone else might
want more?

-- 
     2. That which causes joy or happiness.