What the version numbers mean, archived versions
History
In versions C94 and before the code was released as a gold version roughly every three years. C96 took a long time because the project had grown to include people in many locations and there was no longer a "stopping point" where all planned improvements have been made. Also, before C96 it was very difficult, involving several weeks of work, to confirm that a version was working, was robust, and got the right answers.
Starting with c94 the code's test suite was automated so that a Perl script could compute all tests and confirm that all is well every night. Now bugs are usually found within 24 hours of being introduced. As a result the nightly build is usually very close to a gold version. The project is now far broader than just me, so it will never again reach a "stopping point".
You should use the current gold version that is found on the StepByStep page. These are never removed from this web site but are moved to the CloudyOld versions page when they have been superseded. The predictions change as atomic data and the treatment of physical processes improves. But it will always be possible to retrieve any old gold version of the code. This provides accountability so that old answers can be recovered.
The goal is to create a new gold at the start of each year. Beginning in 2005 the version number of the code became the year, month, and day in the form 05.07.06. Version C06 also followed this style.
Current stylee
This method was changed slighting in version C08. Now the leading two digits indicate the year. The next pair of numbers indicate a subversion. C08.00 would be the first release candidate and C08.01 the first released version. Significant patches will be indicated by the last two digits. So C08.01.03 would include the third set of patches to C08.01.
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