(debian-policy.info)Epochs should be used sparingly

---

Up: Version

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

5.6.12.1 Epochs should be used sparingly
........................................

Note that the purpose of epochs is to cope with situations where the
upstream version numbering scheme changes and to allow us to leave
behind serious mistakes.  If you think that increasing the epoch is the
right solution, you should consult debian-devel and get consensus before
doing so (even in experimental).

Epochs should not be used when a package needs to be rolled back.  In
that case, use the ‘+really’ convention: for example, if you uploaded
‘2.3-3’ and now you need to go backwards to upstream 2.2, call your
reverting upload something like ‘2.3+really2.2-1’.  Eventually, when we
upload upstream 2.4, the +really part can go away.

Epochs are also not intended to cope with version numbers containing
strings of letters which the package management system cannot interpret
(such as ‘ALPHA’ or ‘pre-’), or with silly orderings.  (1)

   ---------- Footnotes ----------

   (1) The author of this manual has heard of a package whose versions
went ‘1.1’, ‘1.2’, ‘1.3’, ‘1’, ‘2.1’, ‘2.2’, ‘2’ and so forth.