We can have backward compatibility, which means that two products are backward
compatible if a newer model is compatible with an older model but not vice versa.
So that means that for example, on a DVD player you can play CDs.
But on a CD player you cannot play DVD's.
The third type of compatibility is one way compatibility.
And as the name suggests, this means that only one standard, or
one technology can use the other one.
But the other one cannot use the first one.
So products are one-way compatible is one machine
can read the files generated by a competing machine but not vice-versa.
So music protected by digital rights management on iTunes would be
a one-way compatibility story.
And finally we can also have partial compatibility.
And this actually refers to all three previous types of compatibility.
Partial compatibility means that products are partially compatible
if they're in too operable.
So, if you can use one with the other.
But, using software, or using files, or
using machines that were initially designed for the other product,
implies a decrease in performance or you have to incur some cost.
So Microsoft Office and Open Office would be partially compatible because
the performance of a Microsoft Office file on Open Office is not quite as good
as if you had it on Microsoft office yourself.
The second strategy I want to talk about is standardization.