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: 
Microsoft uses version numbering as well as the alpha, beta, GA monikers. 

I think version naming depends a lot on what you're trying to accomplish. If you're releasing something for consumption and aren't trying to collect data from a beta period, don't call it beta. If you're not trying to preview the technology, don't call it alpha.

I work mostly with web apps at present, and we just number our versions as incrementing integers by when we deploy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.). There's no reason to have to get into complicated naming logic if no one cares about the versions anyway.
I prefer the Linux kernel notation: major.minor.release.build, but i rarely use the .build part, and i don't use even/odd numbers for stable/development minors.