From f60dec78f993721c31d1650a0710a1a790efd76a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Samba Release Account Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 03:40:32 +0000 Subject: Added a version of tridge's comments on numbering to the faq. Dan (This used to be commit 53a4b8769e25c65fa6ab0f532e30630adf6f2056) --- docs/samba.faq | 47 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/docs/samba.faq b/docs/samba.faq index ae8abddedb..ac3d6bc21d 100644 --- a/docs/samba.faq +++ b/docs/samba.faq @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Contents * SECTION ONE: General information All about Samba - what it is, how to get it, related sources of - information. + information, how to understand the version numbering scheme. * SECTION TWO: Compiling and installing Samba on a Unix host Common problems that arise when building and installing Samba under Unix. @@ -117,6 +117,51 @@ ONLY in source form, though binaries may be available from other sites. Recent versions of some Linux distributions, for example, do contain Samba binaries for that platform. +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +* 5: What do the version numbers mean? + +It is not recommended that you run a version of Samba with the word "alpha" +in its name unless you know what you are doing and are willing to do some +debugging. Many, many people just get the latest recommended stable release +version and are happy. If you are brave, by all means take the plunge and +help with the testing and development - but don't install it on your +departmental server. Samba is typically very stable and safe, and this is +mostly due to the policy of many public releases. + +1) when major changes are made the version number is increased. For example, +the transition from 1.9.15 to 1.9.16. However, this version number will not +appear immediately and people should continue to use 1.9.15 for production +systems (see next point.) + +2) just after major changes are made the software is considered +unstable, and a series of alpha releases are distributed, for example +1.9.16alpha1. These are for testing by those who know what they are doing. +The "alpha" in the filename will hopefully scare off those who are just +looking for the latest version to install. + +3) when Andrew thinks that the alphas have stabilised to the point where he +would recommend new users install it, he renames it to the same version +number without the alpha, for example 1.9.16. + +4) inevitably bugs are found in the "stable" releases and minor +patch levels are released which give us the pXX series, for example +1.9.16p2. + +So the progression goes: + + 1.9.15p7 + 1.9.15p8 + 1.9.16alpha1 + : + 1.9.16alpha20 + 1.9.16 + 1.9.16p1 + +The above system means that whenever someone looks on our ftp site +they will be able to grab the highest numbered release without an +alpha in the name and be sure of getting the current recommended +version. + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * 4: What platforms are supported? -- cgit