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versioningrelease-cycle

Is it frowned upon to release your software with > 1 first commercial version number?

Is it frowned upon to release your software with a version number high than 1?

For example, some non tech-savy people might see a competitor's product with a higher version number as meaning my software is not as good.

Solution

  • I believe there are 3 major ways people market product versions:

    1. Product Name [Version #] (i.e. Wordperfect 5.0)
    2. Product Name [Release Year] (i.e. Gentoo 2008.0)
    3. Product Name [Code Name] (i.e. Windows Vista)

    I actuall prefer the release year as part of the versioning strategy, it lets your customers know what the latest version of a product is, general age of the release and using the 2008.1 type of number, you know the release is a revision (i.e. Service Pack).

    If you still decide to go with a version number, I see no harm in starting with 1.1, that is what we always did at my old place of employ...