[RELEASED] Release candidates for Python 2.6.8, 2.7.3, 3.1.5, and 3.2.3

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:21:07 +1100, Ben Finney wrote:

> Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 7:51 PM, Ben Finney
>> <ben+python at benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> 
>> > If you're pleased to announce their immediate availability, then
>> > please do that!
>>
>> Isn't it perfectly accurate to say that the RCs are now available?
> 
> Yes. What's not reasonable is to say that a candidate for release – i.e.
> something *prior to* release, by definition – is nevertheless released.

We have a piece of software which has just been actively released to the 
public in a known fixed state, with a specific version number (2.6.8rc 
etc.). Since this active process of *releasing* software has occurred, 
the past tense "[RELEASED]" applies.

What sort of software is it? Well, it's not a pre-alpha, or alpha, or 
beta version, nor is it the production-release version. It is a candidate 
to become the production-release, or "Release candidate".

Hence we have the release [verb] of a release candidate [compound noun].

There is no contradiction here, any more than it would be a contradiction 
to release a beta version.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle



>> Considering that "Release candidates" immediately followed "RELEASED"
>> in the subject line, I don't see any confusion.
> 
> Unless “release candidate” means nothing like what those words imply, it
> can't be both a release candidate *and* released.

What do you believe the words imply?

I believe that they imply that the version is a candidate to be a 
production-ready release of the software, as opposed to a pre-alpha, 
alpha or beta version, but not yet the production-ready version.



-- 
Steven