VCDS Version Numbers

[iichel]

Are VCDS actually numbered by release year and month? like 18.3 for march 2018?

[PetrolDave]

Are VCDS actually numbered by release year and month? like 18.3 for march 2018?

In recent years (at least as far back as 2009 looking at my downloads) the first number has always been an indication of the year of release, but I don't think the second digit is the month as looking back at my old downloads 15.7.2 is dated December 11th 2015.

[Uwe]

Are VCDS actually numbered by release year and month? like 18.3 for march 2018?

Correct. It indicates the year and the month of the "branch". Have a look here.
Note that in the previous decade, there was no separator between the year and the month.

Branches are done in order to keep the distributors who make translations into other languages sane. With each major release branch, we freeze the resources that require translation, making it straightforward to provide further updates within that branch without those guys having to do more translation.

-Uwe-

[Uwe]

I don't think the second digit is the month as looking back at my old downloads 15.7.2 is dated December 11th 2015.

That's because 15.7.2 was the 2nd significant update to the 15.7 branch that was first published as 15.7.0 in July of 2015.

Branches generally have a life of 6-18 months before a new one springs from the trunk. Timing depends on how quickly we add stuff that requires changed or entirely new resources that need to be translated.

-Uwe-

[Uwe]

Admin Note: I split this from a pirate thread that got moved to the Hall of Shame because that seems like a less than desirable place for this (hopefully useful) info.

-Uwe-

[iichel]

This is some german engineering level of numbering :-)

[Uwe]

This is some german engineering level of numbering :-)

Look who else uses it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_version_history

But I used it first!

[PetrolDave]

Look who else uses it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_version_history

But I used it first!

It's a very good and useful system so it's been adopted by many organisations - it was used in several of the companies I worked for before retiring.

[Uwe]

It's a very good and useful system so it's been adopted by many organisations - it was used in several of the companies I worked for before retiring.

Remember when Microsoft introduced Windows 95?

I thought for sure that there would be a new version every year, and that they would be numbered 96, 97...

And that each new version would involve an update fee. What a fantastic source of ongoing revenue, right? I mean who would want to be running last year's version of Windows?

But no, MS missed this golden opportunity.

Obviously, RT is smarter than MS!

Oh wait, our updates are free.

[iichel]

I'm still waiting for windows 9. Not that apple is any better with their version numbers. At least they do a new version every year.