Why Newly Revised?

[Guest Daniel]

Why is the title of the book "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised", instead of just "Robert's Rules of Order"? I am curious about the history behind this move (in case I get challenged on why I insist on using this book).

[Shmuel Gerber]

Why is the title of the book "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised", instead of just "Robert's Rules of Order"? I am curious about the history behind this move (in case I get challenged on why I insist on using this book).

If you insist on using this book, then you should have a copy of it, in which case you would have the answer to your question. :-)

But the simple answer to your question is that although there have been 10 editions of the book, only twice was the new edition so much revised that it warranted a new title. It's still considered to be "Robert's Rules of Order."

[Rob Elsman]

If your society's bylaws prescribe that Robert's Rules of Order is the society's parliamentary authority without specifying a particular edition, then Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th edition, is currently the book of rules of order that is in force. See RONR (10th ed.), p. ii.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Why is the title of the book "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised", instead of just "Robert's Rules of Order"? I am curious about the history behind this move (in case I get challenged on why I insist on using this book).

Analogy:

Your question is like the question posed to software developers:

"When do you guys designate an upgrade via the number LEFT of the decimal point, and when do you designate an upgrade via a number RIGHT of the decimal point?"

Example:

Apple MACINTOSH OS X is now in revision 10.6., called "Snow Leopard."

The most current "Snow Leopard" is version 10.6.4

OSX 10.5 was "Leopard"

OSX 10.4 was "Tiger"

Which leads to the obvious question: When shall Apple re-number its future revised OS as "11.0"?

The answer, as always, for private companies, is, "Whenever they feel like it."

The hidden answer, as usual, would likely be, "When the revision is so extensive, it should be perceived as its own stand alone edition, and not as a modification/enhancement of its previous incarnation."

So it is with R.O. (editions 1,2,3), to R.O.R. (editions 4,5,6), to RONR (editions 7,8,9,10). - The title change came when the text was so extensively changed that it would be unreasonable to treat the new edition as a mere enhancement of its prior incarnation.

[David A Foulkes]

Analogy:

Your question is like the question posed to software developers:

Example:

Apple MACINTOSH OS X is now in revision 10.6., called "Snow Leopard."

The most current "Snow Leopard" is version 10.6.4

OSX 10.5 was "Leopard"

OSX 10.4 was "Tiger"

Which leads to the obvious question: When shall Apple re-number its future revised OS as "11.0"?

The answer, as always, for private companies, is, "Whenever they feel like it."

The hidden answer, as usual, would likely be, "When the revision is so extensive, it should be perceived as its own stand alone edition, and not as a modification/enhancement of its previous incarnation."

So it is with R.O. (editions 1,2,3), to R.O.R. (editions 4,5,6), to RONR (editions 7,8,9,10). - The title change came when the text was so extensively changed that it would be unreasonable to treat the new edition as a mere enhancement of its prior incarnation.

So, in a manner of speaking, the current edition could be considered version 3.3

[Guest Daniel]

Analogy:

Your question is like the question posed to software developers:

Example:

Apple MACINTOSH OS X is now in revision 10.6., called "Snow Leopard."

The most current "Snow Leopard" is version 10.6.4

OSX 10.5 was "Leopard"

OSX 10.4 was "Tiger"

Which leads to the obvious question: When shall Apple re-number its future revised OS as "11.0"?

The answer, as always, for private companies, is, "Whenever they feel like it."

The hidden answer, as usual, would likely be, "When the revision is so extensive, it should be perceived as its own stand alone edition, and not as a modification/enhancement of its previous incarnation."

So it is with R.O. (editions 1,2,3), to R.O.R. (editions 4,5,6), to RONR (editions 7,8,9,10). - The title change came when the text was so extensively changed that it would be unreasonable to treat the new edition as a mere enhancement of its prior incarnation.

[Guest Daniel]

Thanks for filling that in.

[Gary c Tesser]

So, in a manner of speaking, the current edition could be considered version 3.3

LOL.