The Linux 2.5, Ruby 1.9 and Python 3 release management anti-pattern
Arguably one of the most successful companies in the world is Microsoft.  The reasons for their success are many, but at least one is the focus on backwards compatibility.  Hook users, and never give them a reason to leave.<p>As developers we know it is painful to maintain backwards compatibility, but it's incredibly valuable.  It builds user confidence in your products, and most importantly it builds user trust that upgrading is safe and thus encourages adoption of newer versions of your software/libraries.  The only mistake Microsoft made was not doing rolling releases.  Major updates are slow and scary, so even though upgrading to a new version of Windows didn't mean loss of compatibility, it was never "easy" and always jarring.<p>Backwards compatibility, automated testing, rolling releases.  That's the magic bullet to keeping everyone happy and on the latest updates.  If your users have to think about version numbers, you're doing it wrong.<p>* Yes, there are instances of Microsoft breaking compatibility, more-so post Windows 7.  The point is that they tend to focus on it, and they get it right 97% of the time which is a technological feat.<p><i></i> See the Rust programming language for a great example of this recipe.