No, it’s not about how Ubuntu gets its version number. Which is taken from year and month of its release, Ubuntu 9.04 means Ubuntu version that will be released on year 2009 , 04th month. No, it’s not about that. But somehow I feel the urge to explain it, sorry :)

If you ever updated Ubuntu before, you must already realized how long some of its package’s version numbers are. Like these :

I suggested a simpler version number in Ubuntu, but apparently it won’t be that easy. Asa told me that in his comment which is very good and educational. I learned something new from his comment, so I think it deserves a post of its own.

This is how to read version number in Ubuntu, from his own words. He explained it in example, so it will be easier to understand :

If you had a package foo version 1.0-2ubuntu3 that means that the foo project release 1.0, and then debian made 2 changes and then Ubuntu took a copy of Debian's package and made 3 changes.

From the official explanation of version numbering is, I knew it follows certain format, that is :

[epoch:] upstream_version[-debian_revision]

Read the full explanation here. But believe me, it will be easier to learn from example above.

Why Debian? Learn Ubuntu long history here, but in short : Ubuntu is based on Debian.

Ps : Congratulation to Asa, on what? Want to know? See his website here.

 

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