A Guide To Software Revisions
A Guide To Software Revisions
Once You Start Playing With Software You Quickly Become Aware
That Each Software Package Has A Revision Code Attached To It.
Once you start playing with software you quickly become aware
that each software package has a revision code attached to it. It
is obvious that this revision code gives the sequence of changes
to the product, but in reality there's substantially more information
available through the rev code than that. This e-mail provides a
guide for interpreting the meaning of the revision codes and what
they actually signify.
1.0:
Also known as "one point uh-oh", or "barely out of beta". We had
to release because the lab guys had reached a point of exhaustion
and the marketing guys were in a cold sweat of terror. We're
praying that you'll find it more functional than, say, a computer
virus and that its operation has some resemblance to that
specified in the marketing copy.
1.1:
We fixed all the killer bugs ...
1.2:
Uh, we introduced a few new bugs fixing the killer bugs and so
we had to fix them, too.
2.0:
We did the product we really wanted to do to begin with. Mind
you, it's really not what the customer needs yet, but we're working
on it.
2.1:
Well, not surprisingly, we broke some things in making major
changes so we had to fix them. But we did a really good job of
testing this time, so we don't think we introduced any new bugs
while we were fixing these bugs.
2.2:
Uh, sorry, one slipped through. One lousy typo error and you
won't believe how much trouble it caused!
2.3:
Some jerk found a deep-seated bug that's been there since
1.0 and wouldn't stop nagging until we fixed it!!
3.0:
Hey, we finally think we've got it right! Most of the customers
are really happy with this.
3.1:
Of course, we did break a few little things.
4.0:
More features. It's doubled in size now, by the way, and you'll
need to get more memory and a faster processor ...
4.1:
Just one or two bugs this time ... Honest!
5.0:
We really need to go on to a new product, but we have an
installed base out there to protect. We're cutting the staffing after
this.
6.0:
We had to fix a few things we broke in 5.0. Not very many, but
it's been so long since we looked at this thing we might as well
call it a major upgrade. Oh, yeah, we added a few flashy cosmetic
features so we could justify the major upgrade number.
6.1:
Since I'm leaving the company and I'm the last guy left in the lab who
works on the product, I wanted to make sure that all the changes I've
made are incorporated before I go. I added some cute demos, too, since
I was getting pretty bored back here in my dark little corner (I kept
complaining about the lighting but they wouldn't do anything). They're
talking about obsolescence planning but they'll try to keep selling it
for as long as there's a buck or two to be made. I'm leaving the bits
in as good a shape as I can in case somebody has to tweak them, but
it'll be sheer luck if no one loses them.
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