The Eclipse Way vs. The Android Way
The next version of Eclipse (version 4.3), will be called "Kepler", continuing its astrological theme. The next version of Android will also be something beginning with a K, following its dessert theme. Android's version number is unknown.
The Eclipse foundation decides on a code name in a public discussion and vote over a year in advance, and the version number and release date is decided at about the same time. Google keeps the Android version name closer to the vest, and the number is not known until the day the finished code is released.
Milestone versions of Eclipse are released to developers at regular intervals until the final version is ready in the summer. Android developers get the SDK when everything is done, which could happen at any time without notice.
While both projects are open source, the differences in how they are managed are broad. Which way is better? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
For a historical perspective, see these articles from 2005 and 2006: