[RELEASED] Release candidates for Python 2.6.8, 2.7.3, 3.1.5, and 3.2.3
Steven D'Aprano
steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info
Sun Feb 26 08:08:35 EST 2012
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
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