Gnats Status

[Robert Inder]

I have a question about GNATS versions.

First, though, a quick word of thanks to all the people working
on Gnats!  I use a lot of public domain software, including Gnats in
the past. Your work is appreciated!

OK, the question.

I'm about to set up a new GNATS installation.  What version
should I use?

On the Gnats home page at 

    http://www.gnu.org/software/gnats/

you say apparently contradictory things.  

Under "GNATS news", you say...

   December 2, 2002: The second beta release of GNATS 4.0 is available
   for download....  This version shouldn't be considered ready for
   production use. 

But further down, under "Downloading GNATS", you say...

   The last "official" version is 3.113. If you are creating a new
   GNATS installation, we recommend you to use the current development
   version of GNATS 4.

I am creating a new installation, but it is for "production" use
by a small, "friendly" but distributed user community of around half a
dozen people.

Which version should I use?

Robert.

P.S. 
If you are interested, we'll be using GNATS to control our interaction
with a client.  This involves a mixture of real software bug reports,
work requests (can you set up an email account for XXX) and potential
enhancement requests, which we want to track through scoping, costing
and then implementation.

They are non-technical people.  They won't (reliably) distinguish
these things.  They just want to see a "stateful" blackboard through
which they can ask ask for things to be done.

In this context, the ability to configure GNATS (the sets of states,
outcomes, priorities, categories and so forth) is really useful.

--
Robert Inder         Interactive Information,     07770 30 40 52 (general)
07808 492 213        3, Lauriston Gardens,        0131 229 1052  (fax)
                     Edinburgh EH3 9HH
                     SCOTLAND UK