Question: What's your prefered method to name your software releases?
Like Microsoft: alpha - beta - final - service pack...
Like Google: gmail beta - beta - beta - beta - :)
Like some softwares: 0.2 - 0.3 - 0.9999...

Answer: 
I prefer the prototype, alpha, beta, GA method. This allows me to communicate the current status of the software to the users/clients. Along with that I provide version numbers .2, .3, .4. 

* The first digit representing major milestones.
* The second digit represents incrementing the release (I generally release once a week so I increment the second digit).
* The third digit is used for patches, so if there is a bug in the code that is fixed outside of the normal release schedule I use the third digit.
For small software just Major.Minor. If Major changes - some input files is not compatible with previous version. We are not prereleasing software to customers so same version is for testing and for final release.