Jay,

One aspect of the problem that you haven't discussed, has nothing to do
with version naming conventions and has everything to do with
stability.  The problem for "sheep" is which version should I be using
so that I have a stable platform to work from.

The only trick in all of this is, as a sheep, you have to understand
that you are seeing development from a "clear/white box" point of view.
If you subscribe to the squeak list, get the latest versions and apply
the latest updates you are on the "bleeding" edge; not for anyone that
wants a stable system. The trick is resisting the temptation to get
caught up in this "development scramble".  For sheep the mailing list is
a way to keep track of "Coming Attractions".

So how is a sheep to keep track of the latest "stable" version.  Well,
from the www.squeak.org page the Downloading Squeak section leads you to
a page that proclaims: "The current release of Squeak is 2.8 as of
August, 2000". As soon as 3.0 becomes stable, I'm sure that it will be
promoted to the current release.  Don't be fooled by discussions on the
list that talk about "releases" for 3.1; these are development releases,
really to be thought of as internal releases.  But with Squeak internal
is external so its easy to get caught up in it.

This is a good thing!!

Also, I like Bob's suggestion for naming convention if there "must" be a
change.  I think most everyone has adopted the Version n.m Update # as a
way of describing a configuration.  If I open the Squeak flap in a
Morphic window I get all of that info.  If we just agree to use this as
a standard to describe a config, nothing will have to be changed with
the existing system.  Just say you are using n.m.update# any you're
done!  It would be helpful if the VM version appeared on the Squeak flap
as well.

If we try and force Squeak Central into calling bundles of updates by
singularly increasing sub-point releases, then I fear development will
get slowed down.  I'd rather see everyone charging ahead full-steam on
code rather than worrying if the next sub point is 3 or 4 and which
updates were in sub point 2.

Just my $0.02

Go Squeak!!!

Steve Gilbert