
Software Versions Are Broken - JS_Cheerleader
https://medium.com/javascript-scene/software-versions-are-broken-3d2dc0da0783#.yyz6e0oie
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DrScump
"Any breaking change, no matter how small increments the Breaking version
number. Incrementing the Breaking version number has absolutely no
relationship with issuing a release."

Wow.

Am I only in thinking that this is seriously inadequate?

If you are _knowingly_ making a change that "breaks" your installed base,
there had better be a compelling (and well-explained) reason for it, along
with advice how a user can detect if their code is affected and instructions
on how to rework it.

Version numbers are not decoration. A user (and, more importantly, _your_
support and engineering organizations) should be able to determine by the full
(not necessarily front-page displayed, but available, like in an About tab)
version number whether a given known bug affects them.

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alexandrerond
It's in fact an article on how to do software versioning "properly", which we
kind of know...

The true problem is vaguely defined APIs with vaguely defined behaviors which
are prone to change/be fixed/be upgraded during minor updates, which do not
qualify as "breaking", because no one realises they do break compatibility.

So it's not so much about fixing your version numbers, it's about fixing your
tests and specs. And only then you might be able to use the right
versioning...

