2, 3 or 4 digit iMesh version number

[Tim Tautges]

I personally think even a 3 digit version number is overkill for iMesh.

- tim

Mark Miller wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> Last week we talked about the fact that, technically speaking, we should
> only ever need a 2 digit version number for iMesh because it is really
> just an interface specification. Other than the header file itself,
> there is no real code to version. However, we agreed that a 3rd, patch
> digit which ordinarily applies only to bug fix releases of code
> underpinning an interface, gives us finer control over the version
> number and has value just for that reason.
> 
> I'd like to raise the possibility of a 4th digit.
> 
> In Silo and HDF5, a 4th digit is used solely for the release process
> itself. Typically, the release process does NOT got smoothly the first
> time out. So, we acknowledge that by creating 'release candidates' and
> tagging them such as Silo-4.7.1-pre1. If during the release process
> (testing on various platforms) bugs are found. Those bugs are
> immediately fixed and a new release candidate is created called
> 4.7.1-pre2. This process iterates until everything is stable everywhere.
> Then, the 'preX' nomenclature is removed, the release candidate becomes
> the release and the final 4.7.1 release is made.
> 
> I know of at least one or two points in our recent ITAPS history where
> we've experienced a similar sequence of events with the iMesh.h header
> file causing it to have to be immediately modified and everyone updating
> to that version.
> 
> Now, we could just opt to use the 3rd digit for this process. That may
> result in that digit changing more frequently than 'users' would expect
> but would otherwise I think be fine.
> 
> I just wanted to get others input on this as I am in middle of modifying
> iMesh.h with version stuff we agreed to last week.
> 
> Mark
> 

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              Tim Tautges            Argonne National Laboratory
          (tautges at mcs.anl.gov)      (telecommuting from UW-Madison)
          phone: (608) 263-8485      1500 Engineering Dr.
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