[cbdfghh]

The point of Semantic Versioning is to tell you something.

So let's say you have Compiler 5.3.2

It means that the important thing is compiler #5. Upgrading from 4 to 5 is a _Big Deal_. You may have to rewrite all your code.

Within 5, you have a version 3. 3 has features A,B,C which 2 doesn't have. Most additions go there. So it should be safe to upgrade.

Within that, you have bugfix #2. That _should_ always be upgraded, unless you rely on undocumented features.

So it's easy for me to tell if I should upgrade.

So upgrading from Apache 1 to Apache 2 may brake config scripts and .htaccess files. Don't upgrade on production build.

Upgrading Apache 1.1 to 1.2, See README, Should be fine, do a small test on your testing machine.

Upgrading Apache 1.1.2 to 1.1.3. Probably a security fix. Do so. Immediately.

---------

The OP's numbering system doesn't tell me anything. should I upgrade 5.4.3.2 to 5.5.0.0? Will it be safe? Probably not. You may have to schedule a full testing load just to be sure.

What about from 5.4.3.2 to 6.4.0.0? Same thing. You have to do a full testing.

And if you _really_ break old code, do everyone a favor and rename your project (So, no, please don't call Go C++ V.13 or something)

[eridius]

You seem to be very confused. Upgrading from 5.4.3.2 to 5.5.0.0 with my scheme is no different than upgrading from 54.3.2 to 55.0.0 with traditional semantic versioning. I'm not suggesting any change to the actual model of semver, I'm literally just saying that I want to tack a new component on to the front for human consumption purposes.

[cbdfghh]

In a library, breaking releases should be far fewer than "regular" feature releases. My point is that if you break code more than a few times in the history of your library, you'll get a revolution. For example, see Python 2->3, which was a relatively "small" fix (which just happened to affect pretty much half of existing string processing code), and PHP, where they seem to introduce and then turn around and remove those features every couple years (mysql, no, mysqli, no, PDO? Are we there yet?)

[eropple]

As a consumer, that first number becomes irrelevant if it's not the "is this going to break my shit?" number. Why have it? It's not communicating something useful to me. Cut it.

[chj]

Sounds like using three numbers is not bad enough.