3.90.3 versus 3.96.1, ...it's not what it seems Options

[earphiler]

Take the two LAME versions: 3.90.3 and 3.96.1

Now I'm not going to ask which has been more tested -- the answer is simple. However, I would like to know why you personally choose 3.90.3 or 3.96.1

To me, it makes no difference but I grabbed 3.96.1, I'm too lazy to switch back, no problems here, I'm not too paranoid, and newer just sounds cooler (not to say its better).

Others? I know this thread sounds rather peculiar

[LoFiYo]

I use both for different purposes.

I understand that a lot of people use version 3.96.1 for one of the following reasons:

1) other people say it's good
2) they can't tell the difference (even with critical samples)
3) it's faster
4) they blind-tested 3.96.1 (or whatever the latest stable version) and found it better than 3.90.3
5) it's the latest stable version
6) other

If people want to change the recommended version for the reason 1) or 2) or 3), I don't think that's a good enough reason. That's lowering our standards. Rather, I would love to see 3.90.3 overthrown for the reason 4), which is the hardest and the most time-consuming (but true to the original HA principles) option.

5) seems like a tricky one. From the developers' standpoint, this is the way to go, and they have no reason not to recommend the latest stable version. But since HA is a separate entity from the LAME project, it should ideally hold onto its own standard (QA) that it's founded upon.

I think a compromise (copout) might be to recommend the latest stable version, and move 3.90.3 aside to a Legacy status (or an alternative recommendation) - something that we can fall back on if we want to, and to encourage users to report any quality problems. Or, do the right thing and test the hell out of the latest stable version (or the lastest alpha) in order to overthrow 3.90.3. But who would have the time and energy to volunteer except Guru?

Only my 2c.