What is backward compatibility?
Back compatibility is a function that guarantees functionality with previous standards or versions. Back compatibility allows technology to continue without being outdated. Once these standards are admitted, manufacturers create compatible products. This keeps the market competitive and allows consumers a wide selection of products that are guaranteed to be interoperable. If not for backward compatibility, every time the product improves, it would be incompatible with the existing infrastructure. Imagine buying a new spark plug for a three -year -old car just to find that you need a new car to use the plug!
Computer systems, software, networks and digital devices work with a large interdependent. Like any component, device, program, network or infrastructure is improved, backward compatibility ensures that the "whole" will continue to work. If other parts can only understand the language of the old standard, it allows you to compose backwardsIlity to make the new part work using the old standard. When the system is upgraded and is able to use the new standard, the new part uses a newer and better standard.
Back compatibility has always been a feature of operating systems. If this is not the case, every time the consumer installs a new operating system, new software will also be required. Instead, most of our software continue to work on a new system, even though it has been designed for the older operating system. It takes many years for the software or previous operating system to become inheritance, which gives the consumer a lot of time to upgrade.
Maybe when many modern consumers learned of backward compatibility with the arrival of the Universal Serial Bus (USB). This port opened the door to a comfortable device for the plug and playback and the standard USB 1.1 has been incorporated into many products. When the standard was improved to faster 2.0, the device had to beIt consists of a new standard to integrate backward compatibility to continue running on existing USB ports at 1.1 speeds. When the consumer updated the port to port 2.0, the product could run at 2.0.
Although there is no time period, older standards will eventually become heritage. In this case, the current technology no longer supports them. Software designed for Windows XP is not designed to be backward compatible with Windows 3.11, although in some cases it is still written to be backward compatible with Windows 98.
When investing in new components, it is always good to buy the latest available standard. In rare cases, the component may not be compatible, so if it is a problem - and usually - be sure to check. Back compatibility keeps you in operation and allows you to upgrade your system by time and pocket book.