Re: What is a Version?

On 2026-03-13, at 09:59, Julian Reschke <julian.reschke@gmx.de> wrote:
> 
> It would be really useful to have a table of names and what they refer to. I'm not that attached to WebDAV, but I believe the term "version" for now had so many things it could refer to - IIUC - that we should avoid that.

+1.

Here is one more, one of the meanings of the English term “version” [1]:

ver·sion| ˈvərʒən | 
noun
1 a particular form of something differing in certain respects from an earlier form or other forms of the same type of thing: a revised version of the paper was produced for a later meeting | they produce yachts in both standard and master versions. 
• a particular edition or translation of a book or other work: the English version will be published next year. 
• [usually with modifier] an adaptation of a novel, piece of music, etc. into another medium or style: a film version of a wonderfully funny cult novel. 
• a particular release of a piece of computer software.

Note that the implication that there is a relationship between different versions (RFC 3253: DAV:predecessor-set) is not supported by this dictionary definition.
It also takes great pains not to imply that there are versions “of” something specific:

    … an earlier form or other forms **of the same type of thing** …

People with an IT background might have some controlled ordering relationship between versions and/or a controlled “of” relationship in mind when using this term; see third bullet above.

Because it evokes very different connotations in different people when being used, leading to irreconcilable conclusions that vary too much on personal background, “version” is in my personal list of terms to be avoided.

Grüße, Carsten

[1]: New Oxford American Dictionary; meanings 2 and 3 there are not really pertinent, although 2 is interesting as it is related to “versions” we see in data:

2 an account of a matter from a particular person's point of view: he told her his version of events. 

3 Medicine: the manual turning of a fetus in the uterus to make delivery easier. 
• an abnormal displacement of the uterus.

Received on Friday, 13 March 2026 12:11:37 UTC