Perhaps the root of the problem here is that -dev versions can be used in *two* different ways, even within the same project, and that both ways are acceptable depending on the circumstance? For example, in Drupal core, 6.x-dev is currently stable and there is nothing particularly wrong with using it on a production site, but 7.x-dev is definitely not stable. Is there any way that dev versions could be given two different labels to help indicate this, something like "-dev" and "-stable"? If you have already released version 6.x-1.0 of your module, for example, then a development snapshot labeled 6.x-1.x-stable would be an indication that only tested bugfixes are being committed to this branch. True "-dev" versions could still be themed with the foreboding red X, but "-stable" versions could be themed differently (yellow background?) so that module maintainers feel more comfortable holding off on the next official release. I haven't looked at all into the implementation, but if this turned out to be feasible, I think it might go a long way towards solving the problem mentioned here. --David Rothstein