On the subject of naming the Dapper successor

[Paul Sladen]

On Sun, 19 Feb 2006, Mark Shuttleworth wrote:
> How about 6-04?
> Does the dash reduce the risk of sort-order confusion?

A feature that several of the alternatives share is reduced pronouncability,
when compared to the current numbering.  Below, I've taken a selection of
the suggestions and written them out as I would dictate them over a
telephone or when introducing an audience/individual to Ubuntu:

  6-04     six-dash-oh-four
  6-10     six-dash-ten
  2006-04  two-thousand-and-six-dash-oh-four, two-zero-zero-six-dash-zero-four
  2006.1   two-thousand-and-six-dot-one, 
  2006a    two-thousand-and-six-version-A

  6.10     six-dot-ten, six-ten
  6.04     six-oh-four, six-dot-oh-four, six-point-oh-four
  6.1      six-dot-one, six-one

To me, the second group score on being easier to say;  I'd also be
interested in how people introduce the numbering in different languages---is
there any specific syntax for years.  I would guess that in several European
countries it would be fairly nature to transliterate the version as:

  6,10     six-virgule-dix
  6,04
  6,1

and still treat it as a decimal number in the local language, using the
local separator.  Versions which are not definitely 'numbers' may not
exhibit this property.

	-Paul

[1] I personally love the 'glint' of recognition you get in somebody's eye
when pointing out at the numbering is the year-date of release.  This
probably keeps it stuck in their head for longer than if they'd just read or
been told it.  That 'hidden effect' is something that is only exhibited by
the current numbering scheme.
-- 
Britain is just cold, in a pesky way.  Nottingham, GB