On Sunday, July 06, 1997 7:15 PM, Greg Chaplin
[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] wrote:
> Stan was asking about the numbering of MPE versions, such as that
> reported by SHOWME:
>
> > >    RELEASE: C.55.01   MPE/iX HP31900 C.05.08   USER VERSION:
> > >    C.55.01
>
> I would like to add my 2-bob's worth on this - I have ALWAYS been
> totally confused about the MPE operating system version numbering -

<SNIP>

Basically, the way I always understood it - and I'm sure someone will
correct me if I'm wrong... is that the "letter identifer" (in the
case above - "C") - is the major release identifier.  In other words,
when something is <<totally rewritten>> by HP - the letter gets
notched up one.  Whether this is the case with MPE, one can only
speculate, but with other subsystems, this is the use for the letter
identifer (where other vendors just kick up a digit).

The second portion (the "55" in this case) is the "release identifer"
- not a total rewrite, but when major revisions are made, the "10s
digit" gets kicked up, and the "1s" digit only gets kicked up when an
interim release is made.

Finally - the last two digits -- this is the "fix level" - in the
case above - "01" means fix release 01, or PowerPatch 1 for MPE.

Whether the terms are right is irrelevant - but this was the way it
was used in the 70s and 80s -- and it seems to still be the case
today.  HP should look into using a more standard approach like the
rest of the world though -- Someone coming into the 3000 world, and
not worked with it nearly as long as some of us have, would not have
a clue as to what this meant.

Hope all in the US had a good holiday ---

Best Regards,
Joe

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Joe Geiser
CSI Business Solutions
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