4.4 How and when updates are released

MySQL is evolving quite rapidly here at TcX and we want to share this with other MySQL users. We try to make a release when we have very useful features that others seem to have a need for.

We also try to help out users who request features that are easy to implement. We also take note of what our licensed users want to have and we especially take note of what our extended email supported customers want and try to help them out.

No one has to download a new release. The News section will tell you if the new release has something you really want. D MySQL change history.

We use the following policy when updating MySQL:

• For each minor update, the last number in the version string is incremented. When there are major new features or minor incompatibilities with previous versions, the second number in the version string is incremented. When the file format changes, the first number is increased.
• Stable tested releases are meant to appear about 1-2 times a year, but if small bugs are found, a release with only bug-fixes will be released.
• Working releases are meant to appear about every 1-8 weeks.
• Binary distributions for some platforms will be made by us for major releases. Other people may make binary distributions for other systems but probably less frequently.
• We usually make patches available as soon as we have located and fixed small bugs.
• For non-critical but annoying bugs, we will make patches available if they are sent to us. Otherwise we will combine many of them into a larger patch.
• If there is, by any chance, a fatal bug in a release we will make a new release as soon as possible. We would like other companies to do this, too. :)

The current stable release is 3.22; We have already moved active development to 3.23. Bugs will still be fixed in the stable version. We don't believe in a complete freeze, as this also leaves out bug fixes and things that ``must be done''. ``Somewhat frozen'' means that we may add small things that ``almost surely will not affect anything that's already working''.