Platform policy question: API compatability in minor releases

[Duncan Coutts]

On Sat, 2009-05-09 at 23:22 -0400, wren ng thornton wrote:
> > duncan.coutts:
> > > The question is this:
> > >
> > >         Should we allow compatible API additions to a library in a minor
> > >         release of the platform?
> > >         
> > >         The choice is between allowing only bug fixes in minor releases,
> > >         or also allowing new features that add APIs but do not change
> > >         any existing APIs.
> 
> Do we need to fixate on one or the other? That is, I think it'd be nice 
> to allow both, distinguishing them by the magnitude of the version 
> change (e.g. the 3rd vs the 4th magnitude, ala the PVP).

So you're suggesting we have not just major and minor releases but a
third kind such that we can have major releases, bug fix releases and in
between the two we also have feature releases.

I would argue that that adds unnecessary complexity, not just to the
release process (which can be automated) but users have to understand
it. The number of versions in use simultaneously would be rather high
(which detracts from the synchronisation goal).

> > Summary: the Platform policy should follow the policy of its consituent parts.
> 
> +1.

I hope it's clear to everyone that this point is orthogonal to the
question at hand. We can ensure the platform version numbers follow
whichever policy we agree on.

Duncan