+><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, 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 bugfixes 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 inrcemented. 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+ 2N is given up (i.e. no longer maintained), the former development branch 2N+1 becomes the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