Update Policy for Public Releases of Karma


1)  When a number of bugfixes and/or enhancements are made which do
not modify the function interface definitions of routines in the
existing public release, a new public release is placed on anonymous
ftp. The release number is incremented. Hence, moving from one release
to the next should not break any source code (with a few exceptions:
see note below).
A release may make incompatible changes to headers files which would
require the recompilation of all code which references those header
files. If such recompilation is required, there should be an item in
the release notes specifying this.

2) When an incompatible change to one or more functions is required
(for instance, an extra parameter is needed, a package is removed or a
package undergoes a major overhaul), a transition period will be
entered where the old functions are unchanged and the new functions
are created. A new public release will be made available (with the
release number being incremented) and notice will be given in the
release notes that the old routines are being phased out. The routines
will not be included in the next version. There may be several
releases prior to the next version of Karma.
The last release of the previous version will be moved to an archive
directory.

NOTE: This strict update policy does not apply to the Karma widgets
library nor other packages in the Karma libraries which are documented
as being work in progress. An appropriate notice will appear at the
top of the package documentation file. The package has therefore been
documented to give early access, but you cannot rely on me not making
a few (usually small) incompatible changes. Notice should still be
given in the release notes if these packages are changed incompatibly.

Notices of a new public release are made to people who have mailed to:
karma-request@atnf.csiro.au  asking to be placed on the mailing list.

This policy should be available in the file: $KARMABASE/doc/update-policy