[Proj] Coming releases of PROJ.4

[Kristian Evers]

First off, Bas and Mikael, thanks for the encouraging words!

Regarding the version number of the next release, my suggestion of jumping to version 10.0.0 should mostly be seen as a communication aid. I'll try to explain why. 

Today we have PROJ.4 version 4.9.3. The next version introduces radically improved geodetic capabilities and a new and more coherent API.  Using 4.10.0 as the next version number would be just fine, and I wouldn't object to that. BUT, to me there's more at play here. The PROJ.4 library existed on life-support for a number of years with very little activity and years between releases. That is all changed now, especially thanks to Howard stepping up and taking on the role of maintainer a few years back. Since then a lot has happened and I think it would be great to show that to the world by "rebranding" the library with a change in version number. A simple change to 4.10.0 would probably be "just another version" to most users of the library, whereas a release of PROJ.4 version 10.0.0 should get the attention of the developers that rely on PROJ.4. Once we have their attention we can explain to them that the library is very much alive, that we've have made a bunch of cool stuff over the past year and let them know what is on schedule for the next couple of years. 

So yes, we could just continue on the path we are already on but why not use this opportunity to highlight that the project has been revitalized after a long period of stagnation?

Regarding calling the next major release PROJ.5. I don't like the idea of changing the name of the project when what should be changed is the version number. The problem is that today the project name and version number is tightly coupled. That's not ideal. My suggestion of going to version 10.0.0 fixes that, although at the cost of a very large jump in version numbers. It has worked for another rather big and important piece of software, so surely it can work for PROJ.4 as well! An added benefit is that we get the full use of all three levels in the version number in the future which I think will make it easier to release smaller changes like bug fixes.

/Kristian

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: proj-bounces at lists.maptools.org [mailto:proj-bounces at lists.maptools.org] På vegne af Mikael Rittri
Sendt: 10. juli 2017 09:17
Til: PROJ.4 and general Projections Discussions
Emne: Re: [Proj] Coming releases of PROJ.4

I was going to say that when people spend their time and skill developing valuable stuff and let others use it for free, then they surely deserve praise and gratitude, especially from us commercial users. But then Bas said it better: I fully agree.

Another thing: I don't quite see why the next major release of Proj.4 shouldn't simply be called Proj.5 (unless that is already taken by something else). Well, I understand that the 4 has somehow metamorphosed from a version number to a part of the software name, but isn't that just because "Proj" by itself is such a common term? In which case Proj.5 should be as distinctive as Proj.4.  

Best regards,

Mikael Rittri
Carmenta
Sweden
http://www.carmenta.com


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