Do Software Versions Really Matter?

An anonymous reader writes "I work for a rather large software company and I am currently working on a completely new product. So new in fact, that the official name has not even been decided. I had assumed that the version number for this product would be 1.0 (at most). However recently I learned that the Product Managers want to release this NEW product with a version number somewhere between 5.0 and 8.0 because 'there is a stigma about buying 1.0 products. People assume it's no good.' This latest Dilbert-esque comedy routine nearly sent me over the edge. So to gauge my sanity against that of the upper Product Management, I ask the community: Do version numbers play a role in software decisions, or have product version numbers lost all credibility and meaning? Would the community feel comfortable buying version '6.3' software (and paying tens of thousands of dollars for it) knowing that it was the first release of the product?"

Comments

Larry Ellison did this with Oracle

[Anonymous Coward]

See: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9814858-7.html

When Oracle began selling its first commercial SQL relational database management system in 1978, which version was first officially released?
A: Version 1.0
B: Version 2.0
C: Version 3.0
Answer: Version 2.0. There was never a 1.0 version. Said Ellison: "Who'd buy a version 1.0 from four guys in California?"

Re:It's just the opposite for me

[It doesn't come easy]

Actually, I agree with what you say and of course any honestly numbered software will indeed exhibit the trend you describe. I have also seen software move from version x.0 to x.1 and get worse in the process.

However, the question was version 1 verses a higher version (such as version 6). It was not concerning version 6.0 verses 6.1 or 6.2 for example. Of course, they seem to be considering taking the fudging one step further (instead of version 1.0, use version 6.3), so what you say is still relevant from the perspective of fooling the naive customer. Still not a good way to start off a business relationship.

Re:It's just the opposite for me

[dryeo]

Funny enough, one of the causes of the Microsoft and IBM divorce was Microsoft demanding to move the video subsystem to ring 0 in OS/2 v1.3. IBM refused in the interests of stability.
I was always kind of surprised that it took so long for Microsoft to sacrifice stability for speed with NT. I was not surprised at how long it took for them to realize they were wrong.