Release Versioning
There is a need for major/minor/errata release management for HL7 specification products, as well as for Static Models. These are best discussed separately, with this page being developed to provide the context and document any principles that apply across the board.
Motivation
As part of the resolution of the naming issue for XML ITS 1.1 [1] the T3F has agreed [2] that MnM should be responsible for developing definition of the release numbering and definition strategy for HL7, in consultation with publishing, marketing and the ARB. This clearly should also include the Project Lifecycle Taskforce.
This is needed to ensure that XML ITS 1.1 can be positioned as a minor release based on XML ITS 1.0 while the New ITS can still become XML ITS R2.
More importantly XML ITS 1.1 assumes a content management regime for static model definitions that includes major/minor/errata release branches. While this is clearly useful in the context of implementation guides and implemented specifications, the current HL7 artefact versioning strategy only allows for a single version branch [3].
Charlie McCay agreed to provide a strawman document in time for the Sept 2007 WGM on behalf of the ITS SIG.
[1] http://www.hl7t3f.org/wiki/index.php?title=Release_identifiers_and_version_control_strategy
[2] http://www.hl7t3f.org/wiki/index.php?title=ConCall-20070807 (notes not yet available)
