[Kolab-devel] Closing Call for KEP #5: Product Versioning

[Mathieu Parent]

Hello,

2011/3/30 Christoph Wickert <wickert at kolabsys.com>:
...
>> > Pre-Releases and Native Packaging:

The Debian version comparison algorithm is explained here:
<http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-controlfields.html#s-f-Version>.
The preferred form to compare versions is to use dpkg
--compare-versions. Some tests below:

# dpkg --compare-versions 2.5-beta1 lt 2.5.0; echo $?
0
--> OK
# dpkg --compare-versions 2.3-0.1.beta1.el5 lt 2.3-0.2.beta1.el5; echo $?
0
--> OK

So the proposed way works, but still, this is not Debian recommended way.

Debian recommended way is:
- 2.5-beta1 -> 2.5~beta1
- kolabd 2.3-0.1.beta1.el5 -> 2.3.0~beta1-1 (or  2.3.0~beta1-1~bpo50+1
for a lenny-backport)

I find 2.3-0.1.beta1.el5 confusing because it put the beta info in the
packager part and the ".1" digit is not explicit.

Maybe we can use digit-only release numbers like 2.2.91.1 for 2.3
alpha1, 2.2.92.4 for 2.3beta4 and 2.2.99.1 for 2.3rc1 (something
similar to GNOME: <http://live.gnome.org/TwoPointNinetyone>)? The
example kolabd 2.3-0.1.beta1.el5 becomes 2.2.92.1-1.el5. This is also
confusing...

So, I'm in favor of having a different versioning scheme for rpm and debs.

Regards

Mathieu

PS: there is a RFE for tilde support in RPM, see <http://rpm.org/ticket/56>