+> (GNU's version of make), autoconf, cvs.
+ </P
+><DIV
+CLASS="SECT2"
+><H2
+CLASS="SECT2"
+><A
+NAME="VERSIONNUMBERS"
+>6.1. Version numbers</A
+></H2
+><P
+> First you need to determine which version number the release will have.
+ <SPAN
+CLASS="APPLICATION"
+>Privoxy</SPAN
+> version numbers consist of three numbers,
+ separated by dots, like in X.Y.Z (e.g. 3.0.0), where:
+ <P
+></P
+><UL
+><LI
+><P
+> X, the version major, is rarely ever changed. It is increased by one if
+ turning a development branch into stable substantially changes the functionality,
+ user interface or configuration syntax. Majors 1 and 2 were
+ <SPAN
+CLASS="APPLICATION"
+>Junkbuster</SPAN
+>, and 3 will be the first stable
+ <SPAN
+CLASS="APPLICATION"
+>Privoxy</SPAN
+> release.
+ </P
+></LI
+><LI
+><P
+> Y, the version minor, represents the branch within the major version.
+ At any point in time, there are two branches being maintained:
+ The stable branch, with an even minor, say, 2N, in which no functionality is
+ being added and only bug-fixes are made, and 2N+1, the development branch, in
+ which the further development of <SPAN
+CLASS="APPLICATION"
+>Privoxy</SPAN
+> takes
+ place.
+ This enables us to turn the code upside down and inside out, while at the same time
+ providing and maintaining a stable version.
+ The minor is reset to zero (and one) when the major is incremented. When a development
+ branch has matured to the point where it can be turned into stable, the old stable branch
+ 2N is given up (i.e. no longer maintained), the former development branch 2N+1 becomes the
+ new stable branch 2N+2, and a new development branch 2N+3 is opened.
+ </P
+></LI
+><LI
+><P
+> Z, the point or sub version, represents a release of the software within a branch.
+ It is therefore incremented immediately before each code freeze.
+ In development branches, only the even point versions correspond to actual releases,
+ while the odd ones denote the evolving state of the sources on CVS in between.
+ It follows that Z is odd on CVS in development branches most of the time. There, it gets
+ increased to an even number immediately before a code freeze, and is increased to an odd
+ number again immediately thereafter.
+ This ensures that builds from CVS snapshots are easily distinguished from released versions.
+ The point version is reset to zero when the minor changes.
+ </P
+><P
+> Stable branches work a little differently, since there should be
+ little to no development happening in such branches. Remember,
+ only bugfixes, which presumably should have had some testing
+ before being committed. Stable branches will then have their
+ version reported as <TT
+CLASS="LITERAL"
+>0.0.0</TT
+>, during that period
+ between releases when changes are being added. This is to denote
+ that this code is <SPAN
+CLASS="emphasis"
+><I
+CLASS="EMPHASIS"
+>not for release</I
+></SPAN
+>. Then
+ as the release nears, the version is bumped according: e.g.
+ <TT
+CLASS="LITERAL"
+>3.0.1 -> 0.0.0 -> 3.0.2</TT
+>.
+ </P
+></LI
+></UL
+>
+ </P
+><P
+> In summary, the main CVS trunk is the development branch where new
+ features are being worked on for the next stable series. This should
+ almost always be where the most activity takes place. There is always at
+ least one stable branch from the trunk, e.g now it is
+ <TT
+CLASS="LITERAL"
+>3.0</TT
+>, which is only used to release stable versions.
+ Once the initial *.0 release of the stable branch has been done, then as a
+ rule, only bugfixes that have had prior testing should be committed to
+ the stable branch. Once there are enough bugfixes to justify a new
+ release, the version of this branch is again incremented Example: 3.0.0
+ -> 3.0.1 -> 3.0.2, etc are all stable releases from within the stable
+ branch. 3.1.x is currently the main trunk, and where work on 3.2.x is
+ taking place. If any questions, please post to the devel list
+ <SPAN
+CLASS="emphasis"
+><I
+CLASS="EMPHASIS"
+>before</I
+></SPAN
+> committing to a stable branch!