Re: RFD: Kernel release numbering

Nick Piggin
2005-03-03T01:28:39Z

Andrew Morton wrote:

> Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>> IMO too confusing.
>>
>
> 2.6.even: bugfixes only
> 2.6.odd: bugfixes and features.
>
> That doesn't even confuse me!
>

I actually second Matt's request; -RCs à la 2.4.

Then your above becomes:
2.6.x-rc: bugfixes only
2.6.x-pre: bugfixes and features

And then that doesn't confuse end users either.

Not to mention that if we adopt a strict release candidate release style
(ie. last -rc is renamed to release), then you get to move some of the
burden of testing to the end user. Hopefully that will encourage more
people to test -rcs rather than "tricking" them into doing the testing.

And if we really make an effort to only do the first -rc with the
expectation that it will be the *only* one, then that will be a pretty
good incentive to test.

Nick