Compatibility, Standards, and Software Production

Compatibility is a key strategic decision in software production. Proposals exist for standards in several fields of software production, such as networking (ISO and IEEE), operating systems (Posix), and object management (OMG). However, a formal treatment of standards in software is still missing. This article tries to overcome this lack, presenting a model of the effects of compatibility in software production. It overviews existing work on compatibility; details a model on the effects of compatibility decisions in software development; and describes the application of this model to new products being introduced and to well-established incumbents.