A version numbering scheme with a useful lexicographical order

We describe a numbering scheme for versions with alternatives that has a useful lexicographical ordering. The version hierarchy is a tree. By inspection of the version numbers, we can easily determine whether one version is an ancestor of another. If so, we can determine the version sequence between these two versions. If not, we can determine the most recent common ancestor to these two versions (i.e., the least upper bound, lub). Sorting the version numbers lexicographically results in a version being followed by all descendants and preceded by all its ancestors. We use a representation of nonnegative integers that is self delimiting and whose lexicographical ordering matches the ordering by value.<>