ZeroVer: 0-Based Versioning (0ver.org)

Article summary

The article presents ZeroVer, a satirical versioning scheme that suggests software should never exceed version 0, with all notable projects listed as examples. The scheme is a commentary on the common practice of long-term 0.x versioning in established projects. The article lists various projects that have been using 0.x versioning for years, with some having thousands or millions of users. The website is a tongue-in-cheek critique of the versioning practices in the software industry.

Main themes

• versioning schemes
• software maturity
• backwards compatibility
• convention vs. personal preference
• marketing and perception
• project responsibility
• API stability

What commenters say

• Some commenters believe that perpetual 0.x versioning is a sign of a project not taking responsibility for its maturity and stability.
• Others argue that versioning is a matter of convention and personal preference, with no universal agreement on its meaning.
• A few commenters think that 0.x versioning can be a honest signal of a project's priorities, such as valuing developer speed over backwards compatibility.
• Some argue that once a project has a large user base, it should be considered mature and stable, regardless of its version number.
• It is suggested that versioning schemes like SemVer can be used to indicate API stability and backwards compatibility.
• Others propose that projects should be transparent about their versioning and compatibility expectations, rather than relying on implicit assumptions.
• A few commenters see the satire as a commentary on the pressure to follow certain versioning conventions for marketing or perception reasons.
• Some believe that the choice of versioning scheme depends on the project's specific needs and environment, such as platforms with constantly changing APIs.