Prime time???

[Walter Bright]

Samuel MV wrote:
> Hi Walter, unfortunately, it's not so simple. Example:
> 
> 1.- I make a new library/classes for web services (HTTP, XML, FCGI, ...) using DMD
> 0.173
> 
> 2.- Someone start using my library for a comercial application (that ones that you
> try to sell ;-)
> 
> 3.- It's founded a bug that it's solved in DMD 0.180, version which also add some
> features that broke existing code.
> 
> 4.- The library maker and the developer only have two options:
>     a) Live with the bug.
>     b) Refactorize library and application.
> 
> Not a nice situation. Here is my 'perfect' plan :)
> 
> 1.- Find the 3/4 features/problems that you/we *really* need to solve *now* in D.
> 
> 2.- Fix only that in november, december, and maybe january. Also bugs ...
> 
> 3.- We have DMD 1.00, that it's going to have only bug fixes, and that it's the
> version that every library, production application, doc, DTL, etc. should use.
> 
> 4.- Branch 2.0 it's planned for the next 4-5 years, when you have had time to test
> the language in a massive mainstream enviroment, with lots of complex applications.
> 
> Well, we have 'survived' with only C for more than 30 years, so what do you think
> about??? Thank you.

I've been in the compiler business for 20+ years now. There are *always* 
more bugs. There are *always* problems with new compilers breaking 
existing code, even if they are just bug fixes (as code sometimes 
inadvertently relies on bugs). The version number is just a number, it 
doesn't technically mean much of anything, except as an identification mark.

That said, I do my best not to break existing things when adding new 
capabilities, or if it is inevitable, I try to make sure there's an 
*easy* solution for existing code.