[fspm_howto] / FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml

<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V3.1//EN">

<article>

<!-- Header -->

 <artheader>
  <title>Free Software Development HOWTO</title>

  <author>
     <firstname>Benjamin</firstname>
     <othername>Mako</othername>
     <surname>Hill</surname>
     <affiliation>
        <address>
           <email>mako@debian.org</email>

        </address>
     </affiliation>
  </author>

   <revhistory>
      <revision>
         <revnumber>v0.01</revnumber>
         <date>25 March 2001</date>
         <authorinitials>bch</authorinitials>
          <revremark>
          Initial Release
         </revremark>
      </revision>
   </revhistory>

  <abstract>
    <indexterm>
      <primary>fswd</primary>
    </indexterm>

    <para>
     This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming
     and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to
     the world of Free Software. This document is meant to act as a
     guide to the non-technical aspects of programming and was written
     to act as a crash course in the people skills that aren't taught
     to commercial coders but that can make or break a free software
     project.
    </para>
  </abstract>

 </artheader>

<!-- Section1: intro -->

 <sect1 id="intro">
   <title>Introduction</title>

   <indexterm>
    <primary>fswd!introduction</primary>
   </indexterm>

  <para>
   For various reasons, this realease has been codenamed the
   <emphasis>homade yogurt</emphasis> release.
  </para>

  <para>
   New code names will appear as per industry standard
   guidelines to emphasize the state-of-the-art-ness of this
   document.
  </para>

  <para>
   Skimming through Freshmeat provides mountains of reasons for this
   HOWTO's existence--the Internet is littered with excellently
   written and useful programs that have faded away into the Universe
   of Free Software Forgottenness. This dismal scene made me ask
   myself, "Why?"
  </para>

  <para>
   This HOWTO tries to do a lot of thing (probably too many), but it
   can't answer that question and won't attempt it. What this HOWTO
   will attempt to do is give your Free Software project a fighting
   chance-an edge. If you write a piece of crap that no one is
   interested in, you can read this HOWTO until you recite it in your
   sleep and your project will probably fail. Then again, you can
   write a beautiful, relevent piece of software and follow every
   instruction in this HOWTO and your software may still not make
   it. Sometimes life is like that. However, I'll go out a limb and
   say that if you write a great, relevant pieces of software and
   ignore the advise in this HOWTO, you'll probably fail <emphasis>
   more often</emphasis>.
  </para>

  <para>
   A lot of the information in this HOWTO is best called common
   sense. Of course, as any debate on interfaces will prove, what is
   common sense to some programmers proves totally unintuitive to
   others. After explaining bites and pieces of this HOWTO to Free
   Software developers on several occasions, I realized that that
   writing this HOWTO might provide a useful resource and a forum for
   programmers to share ideas about what has and has not worked for
   them. 
  </para>

  <para>

  </para>

  <para>
   As anyone involved in any of what seems like an unending parade of
   ridiculous intellectual property clashes will attest to, a little
   bit of legalese proves important.
  </para>

<!-- Section2: copyright -->

  <sect2 id="copyright">
   <title>Copyright Information</title>

   <para>
    This document is copyrighted (c) 2000 Benjamin (Mako) Hill and is
    distributed under the terms of the Linux Documentation Project
    (LDP) license, stated below.
   </para>

   <para>
    Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are
    copyrighted by their respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may
    be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium
    physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is
    retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution is allowed and
    encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any
    such distributions.
   </para>

   <para>
    All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works
    incorporating any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this
    copyright notice. That is, you may not produce a derivative work
    from a HOWTO and impose additional restrictions on its
    distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted under
    certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator at
    the address given below.
   </para>

   <para>
    In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this
    information through as many channels as possible. However, we do
    wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to
    be notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs.
   </para>

   <para>
    If you have any questions, please contact 
    <email>linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu</email>
   </para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: disclaimer -->

  <sect2 id="disclaimer">
   <title>Disclaimer</title>

   <para>
    No liability for the contents of this documents can be accepted.
    Use the concepts, examples and other content at your own risk.
    As this is a new edition of this document, there may be errors
    and inaccuracies, that may of course be damaging to your system.
    Proceed with caution, and although this is highly unlikely,
    the author(s) do not take any responsibility for that.
   </para>

   <para>
    All copyrights are held by their by their respective owners, unless
    specifically noted otherwise.  Use of a term in this document
    should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark
    or service mark.
   </para>

   <para>
    Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen 
    as endorsements.
   </para>

   <para>
    You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system 
    before major installation and backups at regular intervals.
   </para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: newversions-->

  <sect2 id="newversions">
   <title>New Versions</title>

    <indexterm>
     <primary>(your index root)!news on</primary>
    </indexterm>

   <para>
    This is the initial release. It is written to be released to
    developers for critique and brainstorming and submitted to
    Hampshire College for academic credit. Please keep in mind that
    this version of the HOWTO is still in an infant stage and will be
    revised extensively before it hits the LDP.
   </para>

   <para>
    The latest version number of this document should always be listed 
    at my webpage at<ulink url="http://people.debian.org/~mako/">
    http://people.debian.org/~mako/</ulink> Debian.
   </para>

   <para>
    The newest version of this HOWTO will always be made available at
    the same website, in a variety of formats:
   </para>

   <para>
   <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      <ulink url="http://people.debian.org/~mako/howto/fswd-howto.html">HTML</ulink>.
     </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
     <para>
       <ulink URL="http://people.debian.org/~mako/howto/fswd-howto.txt">plain text</ulink>.
     </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
     <para>
      <ulink url="http://people.debian.org/~mako/howto/fswd-howto.US.ps.gz">compressed 
       postscript (US letter format)</ulink>.
     </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
     <para>
      <ulink url="http://people.debian.org/~mako/howto/fswd-howto.UF.ps.gz">compressed 
       postscript (Universal format / 8.27x11in; 210x279mm)</ulink>.
     </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
     <para>
      <ulink url="http://people.debian.org/~mako/howto/fswd-howto.sgml">SGML source</ulink>.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </itemizedlist>
   </para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: credits -->

  <sect2 id="credits">
   <title>Credits</title>

   <para>
    In this version I have the pleasure of acknowledging:
   </para>

   <para>
    <emphasis>Karl Fogel</emphasis>, the author of <emphasis>Open
    Source Development with CVS</emphasis> published by the Coriolis
    Open Press. Larges parts of the book are available <ulink
    url="http://cvsbook.red-bean.com">on the web</ulink>. 225 pages of
    the book are available under the GPL and constitute the best
    tutorial on CVS I have ever seen. The rest of the book covers,
    "the challenges and philosophical issues inherent in running an
    Open Source project using CVS." The book does a good job of
    covering some of the subjects brought up in this HOWTO and much
    more. <ulink url="http://cvsbook.red-bean.com">The book's
    website</ulink> has information on ordering the book and provides
    several translations of the chapters on CVS. I you are seriously
    interested in running a Free Software project, you want this book.
   </para>
   
   <para>
    Karl Fogel can be reached at <email>kfogel (at) red-bean (dot)
    com</email>
   </para>
   <para>
    Also providing support and material, and inspiration for this
    HOWTO is Eric S. Raymond for his prolific, consitent, and
    carefully crafted arguments, to Lawrence Lessig for reminding me
    of the importance of Free Software and to every user and developer
    involved with the <ulink url="http://www.debian.org">Debian
    Project</ulink>. The project has provided me with a home, a place
    to practice Free Software advocacy and to make a difference, a
    place to learn from those how have been involved with the movement
    much longer than I, and an proof of a Free Software project that
    <emphasis>definately, definately works</emphasis>.
   </para>

   <para>
    Above all, I want to thank <emphasis>Richard Stallman</emphasis>
    for his work at the Free Software Foundation and for never giving
    up. Stallman provided the philosphical basis that attracts me to
    Free Software and that drives me towards writing a document to
    make sure it succeeds. RMS can always be emailed at <email>rms
    (at) gnu (dot) org</email>.
   </para>

  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: feedback -->

  <sect2 id="feedback">
   <title>Feedback</title>

   <para>
    Feedback is most certainly welcome for this document. Without your
    submissions and input, this document wouldn't exist. Something
    missing? Don't hesitate to contact me and to write a chapter. I
    want this document to be as much a product of the Free Software
    development process that it heralds and I think its ultimate
    success will be rooted in this fact. Please send your additions,
    comments and criticisms to the following email address :
    <email>mako (at) debian (dot) org</email>.
   </para>
   </sect2>

<!-- Section2: translations -->

  <sect2 id="translations">
   <title>Translations</title>

   <para>
    I know that not everyone speaks English. Translations are nice and
    I'd love for this HOWTO to gain the kind of international reach
    afforded by a translated version.
   </para>
   <para>
    However, this HOWTO is still young and I have to yet to be
    contacted about a translation so English is all that is
    available. If you would like to help with or do a translation, you
    will gain my utmost respect and admiration and you'll get to be
    part of a cool process. If you are at all interested, please don't
    hesitate to contact me at: <email>mako (at) debian (dot)
    org</email>.
   </para>
   </sect2>
 </sect1>

<!-- Section1: intro: END -->

<!-- Section1: starting -->

 <sect1 id="starting">
  <title>Starting a Project</title>

   <indexterm>
    <primary>fswd!starting</primary>
   </indexterm>
  <para>
   With very little argument, starting a project is most difficult
   part of successful free software development. Laying a firm
   foundation for your project will determine whether your project
   flourishes or withers away and dies. It is also the subject that is
   of most immediate interest to anyone reading this document as a
   tutorial.
  </para>

  <para>
   Starting a project also involves a dilemna that you as a developer
   must try and deal with. No potential user for your program will be
   interested by a program that doesn't work. Simultaneously, the
   development process that you want to employ holds involvement of
   users as essential to the process of the development that will
   realize this working software.
  </para>

  <para>
   It is in these dangerous initial moments that anyone working to
   start a free software project must strike a balance. One of the
   most important ways that omeone trying to start a project can work
   towards this balance is by establishing a framework for the
   development process through some of the ways mentioned in this
   section.
  </para>


<!-- Section2: chooseproject-->

  <sect2 id="chooseproject">
   <title>Choosing a Project</title>

   <para>
    If you are reading this document, there's a good chance you
    already have an idea for a project in mind. Chances are pretty
    good, it fills a gap by doing something that no other free
    software process does or or does it in a way that is unique
    enought to necessitate a seperate project.
   </para>

   <sect3 id=identifyidea>
    <title>Indentify and Articulate Your Idea</title>
    <para>
     Eric S. Raymond writes about how free software projects start in
     his paper, "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" which comes as required
     reading for any free softare development. You can find it <ulink
     url="http://www.tuxedo.org/!esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/">online
     </ulink>.
    </para>

    <para>
     In "The Cathedral and Bazaar," Raymond tells us that:
     <emphasis>Every good work of software starts by scratching a
     developers itch.</emphasis> Raymond now widely accepted
     hypothesis is that new free software programs are written, first
     and foremost, to solve a specific problem facing the developer.
    </para>

    <para>
     If you have an idea for a program in mind, chances are good that
     it it is targetting a specific problem or itch you want to see
     scratched. <emphasis>This idea is the project. Articulate it
     clearly. Write it out. Describe the problem you will attack in
     detail. The success of your project in tackling a particular
     problem will be tied to your ability to identify that problem
     early on. Find out exactly what it is that you want your project
     to do.</emphasis>
    </para>
   </sect3>

   <sect3 id=evalulateidea>
    <title>Evaluate Your Idea</title>

    <para>
     In evaluating your idea, you need to ask yourself questions.
     Before you move any further into this HOWTO, you need to
     determine if the free software development model really is the
     right one for your project. Obviously, since the program
     scratches your itch, you are definately interested in seeing it
     implemented in code. But, because one hacker coding alone fails
     to qualify as a free software development effort, you need to ask
     yourself the question: <emphasis>Is anybody else
     interested?</emphasis>
    </para>

    <para>
     Sometimes the answer is <emphasis>no</emphasis>. If you want to
     write a set of scripts to sort <emphasis>your</emphasis> MP3
     collection on your machine, maybe the free software development
     model is not the best one to choose. However, if you want to
     write a set of scripts to sort <emphasis>anyone's</emphasis>
     MP3s, a free software project might fill a useful gap.
    </para>

    <para>
     Luckily, The Internet is a place so big and diverse that, chances
     are, there is someone, somewhere, who shares your interests and
     how feels the same itch. It is the fact that there are so many
     people with so many similar needs and desires that introduces the
     second major question: <emphasis>Has somebody already had your
     idea or a reasonably similar one?</emphasis>
    </para>

     <sect4 id=evalwhere>
      <title>Finding Similar Projects</title>

     <para>
      There are places you can go on the web to try and answer this
      question. If you have experience with the free software
      community, you are probably already familiar with all of these
      sites. All of the resources listed bellow offer searching of
      their databases:
     </para>

     <para>
     <variablelist>
       <varlistentry>
        <term>freshmeat.net</term>
        <listitem>
         <para><ulink url="http://freshmeat.net">freshmeat</ulink>
         describes itself as, <quote>the Web's largest index of Linux
         and Open Source software</quote> and its reputation along
         these lines remains unquestioned. If you can't find it on
         freshmeat, its doubtful that you'll find it indexed anywhere
         else.</para>
        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
        <term>Slashdot</term>
        <listitem>
         <para><ulink url="http://slashdot.org">Slashdot</ulink>
         provides <quote>News for Nerds: Stuff that Matters,</quote>
         which usually includes discussion of free software, open
         source, technology, and geek culture new and events. It is
         not unusual for an particularly sexy develpment effort to be
         announced here so it definately worth checking.</para>
        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
        <term>SourceForge</term>
        <listitem>
         <para><ulink url="http://sourceforge.net">SourceForge</ulink>
         houses and facilitates a growning number of open source and
         free software projects, SourceForge is quickly becoming a
         nexus and an necessary stop for free software
         developers. SourceForge's <ulink
         url="http://sourceforge.net/softwaremap/trove_list.php">software
         map</ulink> and <ulink url="http://sourceforge.net/new/"> new
         releases</ulink> pages. should be necessary stops before
         embarking on a new free software project. SourceForge also
         provides a at <ulink
         url="http://sourceforge.net/snippet/">Code Snippet
         Library</ulink> which contains useful reusuable chunks of
         code in an array of langauges which can come in useful in any
         project.</para>
        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>

       <varlistentry>
        <term>Google and Google's Linux Search</term>
        <listitem>
         <para><ulink url="http://www.google.com">Google</ulink> and
         <ulink url="http://www.google.com/linux"> Google's Linux
         Search</ulink>, provide powwerful web searches that may
         reveal people working on similar projects. It is not a
         catalog of software or news like freshmeat or Slashdot, but
         it is worth checking before you begin pouring your effort
         into a redundant project.</para>
        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>

      </variablelist>
     </para>
    </sect4>

    <sect4 id=evalhow>
     <title>Deciding to Proceed</title>
     <para>
      Once you have successfull charted the terrain and have an idea
      bout what kinds of similar free software projects exist, every
      developer needs to decide whether to proceed with their own
      project. It is rare that a new project seeks to accomplish a
      goal that is not similar to related to the goal of another
      project. Anyone starting a new project needs to ask themselves:
      <emphasis>Will the new project be duplicating work done by
      another project? Will the new project be competing for
      developers with an existing project? Can the goals of the new
      project be accomplished by adding functionality to an existing
      project?</emphasis>
     </para>

     <para>
      If the answer to any of these questions is yes, try to contact
      the developer of the existing project in question and see if he
      or she might be willing to collaborate with you.
     </para>

     <para>
      This may be the single most difficult aspect of free software
      development for many developers but it is essential. It is easy
      to become fired up by and idea and be caught up in the momentum
      and excitement of a new project. It is often extremely difficult
      but it is important that any free software developer rememeber
      that the best interests of the of the free software community
      and the quickest way to accomplish ones own project's goals and
      the goals of similar project can often be accomplished by
      <emphasis>not</emphasis> starting a new project.
     </para>

    </sect4>
   </sect3>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: licensing-->

  <sect2 id="licensing">
   <title>Licensing your Software</title>
   
   <para>
    On one level, the difference between a piece of free software and
    a piece of propriety software is the license. A license helps both
    you as the developer by protecting your legal rights to your
    software and helps demonstrate to those who wish to help you or
    your project that they are encouraged to join.
   </para>
   
   <sect3 id="chooselicense">
    <title>Choosing a License</title>

    <para>
     Any discussion of licenses is also sure to generate at least a
     small flamewar as there are strong feelings that some free
     software licenses are better than other free software
     licenses. This discussion also brings up the question of
     <quote>Open Source Software</quote> and the debate around
     <quote>Open Source Software</quote> and <quote>Free
     Software</quote>. However, because I've written the Free Software
     Development HOWTO and not the Open Source Development HOWTO, my
     own allegiences in this argument are out in the open.
    </para>

    <para>
     In attempting to reach a middle ground, I recommend picking any
     license that conforms to the <ulink
     url="http://www.debian.org/social_contract">Debian Free Software
     Guidlines</ulink>. Examples of these licenses are the
     <acronym>GPL</acronym>, the <acronym>BSD</acronym>, and the
     Artistic License. Conforming to the definition of Free Software
     offered by Richard Stallman in <ulink
     url="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">The Free
     Software Definition</ulink>, any of these licenses will
     uphold,<quote> users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study,
     change and improve the software.</quote> There are other licenses
     as well but sticking with a more common license will offer the
     advantage of immediate recognition and undestanding.
    </para>

    <para>
     In attempting a more in-depth analysis, I agree with Karl Fogel's
     description of licenses as falling into two groups: those that
     are the <acronym>GPL</acronym> and those that are not the
     <acronym>GPL</acronym>.
    </para>

    <para>
     Personally, I license all my software under the
     <acronym>GPL</acronym>. Created and protected by the Free
     Software Foundation and the GNU Project, the
     <acronym>GPL</acronym> is the license for the Linux kernel,
     GNOME, Emacs, and the majority of Linux software. Its an easy
     choice but I believe it is a good one. <emphasis>However, there
     is a viral aspect to the <acronym>GPL</acronym>that prevents the
     mixture of <acronym>GPL</acronym>'ed code with
     non-<acronym>GPL</acronym>'ed code. To many people (myself
     included), this is a benefit, but to some, it is a major
     drawback.</emphasis>
    </para>

    <para>
     The three major license can be found at the following locations:
    </para>

    <para>
     <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
       <para><ulink url="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html">The GNU
       General Public License</ulink></para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <para><ulink url="http://www.debian.org/misc/bsd.license">The
       BSD License</ulink></para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <para><ulink
       url="http://language.perl.com/misc/Artistic.html">The Artistic
       License</ulink></para>
      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
    </para>

    <para>
     <emphasis>In all cases, please read through any license before
     your release your software. As the developer, you can't afford
     any license surprises.</emphasis>
    </para>
   </sect3>

   <sect3 id="licensechoose">
    <title>The Mechanics of Licensing</title>

    <para>
     The text of the <acronym>GPL</acronym> offers <ulink
     url="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html#SEC4">a good
     description</ulink> of mechanics of applying a license to a piece
     of software. A checklist for applying a license would include:
    </para>

    <para>
    <orderedlist>
      <listitem>

       <para>If at all possible, attach and distribute a full copy of
       the license with the source and binary in a seperate
       file.</para>

      </listitem>
      <listitem>

       <para>At the top of each source file in your program, attach a
       notice of copyright and information on where the full license
       can be found. The <acronym>GPL</acronym> recommends that each
       file begin with:</para>

       <screen>
<emphasis>one line to give the program's name and an idea of what it does.</emphasis>
Copyright (C) yyyy  name of author

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
       </screen>

       <para>
        The <acronym>GPL</acronym> goes on to recommend attaching
        information on contacting you (the author) via email or
        physical mail.
      </para>

      </listitem>
      <listitem>

       <para>
        The <acronym>GPL</acronym> continues and suggests that if your
        program runs in an interactive mode, you should have the
        program output a notice each time it enters interactive mode
        that includes a message like this one that points to more
        information about the programs licensing:
       </para>

       <screen>
Gnomovision version 69, Copyright (C) year name of author
Gnomovision comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details
type `show w'.  This is free software, and you are welcome
to redistribute it under certain conditions; type `show c' 
for details.
       </screen>

      </listitem>
      <listitem>
       <para>Finally, it might be helpful to include a
       <quote>copyright disclaimer</quote> with the program from an
       employer or a school if you work as a programmer or if it seems
       like your employer or school might be able to make an argument
       for ownership of your code.</para>
      </listitem>

     </orderedlist>
     </para>    
   </sect3>

   <sect3 id="licensewarning">
    <title>Final License Warning</title>

    <para>
     Please, please, please, place your software under some
     license. It may not seem important, and to you, it may not be,
     but licenses are important. For a piece of software to be
     included in the Debian GNU/Linux distrobution, it must have a
     license that fits the <ulink
     url="http://www.debian.org/social_contract">Debian Free Software
     Guidelines</ulink>. If you have no license, your program can be
     distributed in part of Debian until you rerelease it under a free
     license. Please save yourself and others trouble by releasing the
     first version of your software with a clear license.
    </para>

   </sect3>

 </sect2>

<!-- Section2: chooseversioning-->

  <sect2 id="chooseversioning">
   <title>Choosing a Method of Version Numbering</title>
   <para>
    <emphasis>The most important thing about a system of numbering is
    that there is one.</emphasis> It may seem pedantic to emphasize
    this point but you'd be surprised at the number of scripts and
    small programs that pop up without any version number. 
   </para>

   <para>
    <emphasis>The second most important thing about a system of
    numbering is that the numbers always go up.</emphasis> Automatic
    versioning systems and people's sense of order in the universe
    will fall apart if version numbers don't rise. It doesn't
    <emphasis>really</emphasis> matter if 2.1 is a big jump and
    2.0.005 is a small jump but it does matter that 2.1 is more recent
    than 2.0.005.
   </para>

   <para>
    Follow these two rules and you will not go wrong. Still there are
    several versioning system that are well known, useful, and that
    might be worth looking into before you release your first version.
   </para>

   <variablelist>
    <varlistentry>
     <term>Linux kernel version numbering:</term>
     <listitem>
      <para>The Linux kernel uses a versioning system where the any
      minor odd minor version number refers to an development or
      testing release and any even minor version number refers to a
      stable version. Under this system, 2.1 and 2.3 kernels were and
      always will be development and testing kernels and 2.0, 2.2. and
      2.4 kernels are all production code with a higher degree of
      stability.
     </para>

      <para>
       Whether you plan on having a split development model<xref
       linkend="branches"> or only one version released at a time, my
       experience with several free software projects and with the
       Debian project has taught me taht use of Linux's version
       numbering system is worth taking into consideration. In Debian,
       all minor versions are stable distributions (2.0, 2.1,
       etc). However, many people assume that 2.1 is an unstable or
       development version and continue to use an older version until
       they get so frusterated with the lack of development and
       progress that they complain. If you never release an odd minor
       version but only release even ones, nobody is hurt, and less
       people are confused.
      </para>

     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
     <term>Wine version numbering:</term>
     <listitem>
      <para>Because of the unusual nature of wine's development where
      it constantly improving but not working towards any immediately
      achievable goal, wine is released every three weeks. Wine does
      this by versioning their releases in Year Month Day format where
      each release might be labeled <quote>wine-XXXXXXXX</quote> where
      the version from Janurary 04, 2000 would be
      <quote>wine-20000104</quote>. For certain projects, Year Month
      Day format can make a lot of sense.
      </para>

     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
     <term>Mozilla milestones:</term>
     <listitem>
      <para>When one considers Netscape 6 and verdor versions, the
      mozilla's project development structure is one of the most
      complex free software model available. Their version numbering
      has reflected the unique situation in which it is
      developed.
      </para>

      <para>
       Mozilla's development structure has historically been made up
       of milestones. From teh beginning of the mozilla project, the
       goals of the project in the order and degree to which they were
       to be achieved were charted out on a series of <ulink
       url="http://www.mozilla.org/roadmap.html">road
       maps</ulink>. Major points and achievements along this roadmaps
       were marked as milestones. Therefore, mozilla was built and
       distributed nightly as "nightly builds" but on a day when the
       goals of a milestone on the roadmap had been reached, that
       particular build was marked as a milstone release.
      </para>

      <para>
       While I haven't seen this method employed in any other projects
       to date, I like the idea and think that it might have value in
       any testing or development branch of a large free application
       under heavy development.
      </para>

     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
   </variablelist>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: documentation-->

  <sect2 id="documentation">
   <title>Documentation</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: presentation -->

  <sect2 id="presentation">
   <title>Other Presentation Issues</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

 </sect1>

<!-- Section1: starting: END -->

<!-- Section1: developers -->

 <sect1 id="developers">
  <title>Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Developers</title>
   <indexterm>
    <primary>fswd!developers</primary>
   </indexterm>

<!-- Section2: delegation  -->

  <sect2 id="delegation">
   <title>Delegating Work</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: branches  -->

  <sect2 id="branches">
   <title>Stable and Development Branches</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: freezing -->

  <sect2 id="freezing">
   <title>Freezing</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: codecram -->

  <sect2 id="codecram">
   <title>Avoiding the Code Cram Effect</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: patching -->

  <sect2 id="patching">
   <title>Accepting and Rejecting Patches</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>
 </sect1>

<!-- Section1: users -->

 <sect1 id="users">
  <title>Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Users</title>

   <indexterm>
    <primary>fswd!users</primary>
   </indexterm>


<!-- Section2: announcing  -->

  <sect2 id="announcing">
   <title>Announcing Your Project</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>

<!-- Section2: testing -->

  <sect2 id="testing">
   <title>Testing and Testers</title>
   <para></para>
  </sect2>
</sect1>

</article>

<!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
Local variables:
mode: sgml
sgml-omittag:t
sgml-shorttag:t
sgml-namecase-general:t
sgml-general-insert-case:lower
sgml-minimize-attributes:nil
sgml-always-quote-attributes:t
sgml-indent-step:1
sgml-indent-data:nil
sgml-parent-document:nil
sgml-exposed-tags:nil
sgml-local-catalogs:nil
sgml-local-ecat-files:nil
End:
-->