Final answer:
Versioning started with the evolution of computer software to manage changes in code systematically and has various types, including internal, external, and semantic versioning. It helps track changes, revert to the previous version, and understand development over time. When researching, consider the purpose, audience, cultural background, and use narrative techniques.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of versioning began in the late 20th century with the advent of computer software development. It was started as a means to keep track of changes to software and to manage the evolution of code in a systematic way, particularly as teams of developers grew larger and the complexity of software increased. Versioning allowed developers to maintain a history of changes, revert to previous versions if necessary, and understand the development of software over time. The main purpose of versioning is to organize and provide control over the various iterations of a document, code, or project.
There are several types of versioning, including internal versioning, external versioning, and semantic versioning, each serving different goals and audiences. Internal versioning often includes alpha and beta phases and focuses on development stages, whereas external versioning is what end-users see, denoting official releases. Semantic versioning is a structured form, using a three-number system (for example, 2.1.3) to indicate major changes, minor changes, and patches.
When choosing a topic for a report or research, it is important to consider four basic questions - the topic itself, the purpose of writing about this topic, the intended audience, and cultural background. Providing answering questions such as who, what, when, where, why, and how, helps in building a narrative that is rich with context and engages the reader. It is also important to refine the scope of a topic to make it workable and to gather various primary and secondary sources to support a thesis.