RE: [docbook] Re: Policy on backwards incompatible changes

[Cavicchio_Rob@emc.com]

Justus-bulk@Piater.name [mailto:Justus-bulk@Piater.name] wrote:

> Are backwards-incompatible changes really that destructive? Nobody
> forces anyone to upgrade their documents. One can easily install
> multiple versions of DocBook schemas in parallel. In contrast,
> maintaining multiple versions of stylesheets (to customize) is a pain.


Well, it's not a big deal if either (a) your existing content does not
use any features that will be broken by the upgrade (in which case you
upgrade), or (b) you don't have a need for any of the new features (in
which case you don't upgrade).

But if you have documents that meet both conditions, you're forced to
choose between two less-than-ideal situations. If many people with a lot
of content never upgrade because it's too much of a headache, then
there's a limited advantage in even releasing a new version in the first
place.


*************************
Rob Cavicchio
Principal Technical Writer
EMC Captiva
EMC Corporation
10145 Pacific Heights Boulevard, 6th Floor
San Diego, CA 92121-4234

P: (858) 320-1208
F: (858) 320-1010
E: Cavicchio_Rob@emc.com

The opinions expressed in this message are my own and should in no way
be interpreted to reflect the opinions of EMC.