backwards-compatible
(also backward-compatible)
adjective
(Of computer hardware or software) able to be used with an older piece of hardware or software without special adaptation or modification.The new specification is backward-compatible with FireWire 400, though it will need a special adapter to connect....
- All of the major tape suppliers have committed to standards and backward-compatible roadmaps that will ensure devices and software will be available that can read the tapes that are created today.
- Technically the only thing harder than making a new optical storage device is making it backward-compatible with something else.
Derivatives
backwards compatibility
- The backwards compatibility and mature interoperability make this easy to implement.
- We want to continue to provide one generation of backwards compatibility, but at some point you are going to hit the limit of the technology.
- The backwards compatibility is another winning feature for this machine.