Why is backward compatibility important in access control?

With backward compatibility, new software versions are compatible with earlier models or versions of the same product. A new version of a program is said to be backward compatible if it can use files and data created with an older version of the same program. Backward compatibility is extremely important because it eliminates the need to start over when you upgrade to a newer product.

Don’t get stuck having to rip out all your hardware

Customers have expressed to us over the years how important  it is to maintain an upgrade path. This concept is not unique to Millennium  Group. Various projects and companies will take a different stance on the  topic. A great example is the Windows 7 launch where XP users were forced to  make a tough decision – go through the hassle of installing a clean version of  Windows 7 and then installing all of their old software and migrating their  data, just stick with Windows XP, or move to a competitor. Even Apple  recognized the problem with the Windows 7 approach as evidenced by their Mac vs  PC commercials.

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Backwards compatibility is not  provided by every access control company

Maintaining backwards compatibility and providing an upgrade path for users  of previous versions is not something that is easy to pull off. In fact, some  would argue that it is one of the biggest technical challenges that any  software company will face.

Ultimately, every software company must face this decision – make it easy  for your users or make it easy for your developers. Give your developers a  green field to develop new features or make it easy for your existing customers  to upgrade and take advantage of your new features. Millennium Group has always  tried to take the path that made it easiest for our users. We believe that  ultimately this allows our developers more time to focus on our current  platform rather than trying to implement bug fixes in 2 or 3 different branches  of our product.

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We do our best to make this as seamless and painless as possible.

At the end of the day, the backwards compatibility issue comes down to how best to serve the customer.
The answer is easy – allow them to protect their investments and reduce the cost of implementation over a long
period of time. Unlike in the cell phone industry where new customers are treated like kings and old customers are treated
like a nuisance, we want all of our customers – past, present and future – to be able to benefit from our latest and greatest platform.

 

© 2014 Millennium Group,  Inc.