Downgrade
Downgrade (English downgrade = demote ) is the opposite process of upgrading . In technology, the term describes the withdrawal of a technical improvement that has already been carried out. This process is very common in connection with software . In connection with the economic development at the beginning of the 21st century, the term was also often used in the German-speaking area for the downgrading of borrowers by rating agencies.
Technical purpose
If a technical improvement in the application turns out to be not (yet) useful, the downgrade route can be chosen. This uselessness despite improvement can have various reasons, for example:
- a lack of maturity, the disadvantages of which outweigh the advantages of improvement
- lack of user acceptance
- legal problems
Often the state reached after the downgrade is only temporary until the reasons for the downgrade have been eliminated.
software
In connection with software , one speaks of a downgrade when an already installed version of software is replaced by an older version of the same software. Reasons for this can be:
- Compatibility problems of the new software version with other programs used
- you need even more lead time to convert the processes to the new version than expected
- the new software version is regarded as not yet fully developed or insufficiently tested
- The older version uses fewer system resources . This can be a motive especially for low-performance computers (e.g. netbooks or older computers).
Downgrade commercial software licenses
With the release of an updated version of a software, many manufacturers no longer offer the previous software versions. However, some customers may need to acquire new licenses for the previous version, at least temporarily, e.g. B. in connection with the purchase of new computers . The manufacturer may then offer the customer the new version of the software, but at the same time allow him to install the previous version . The customer can then upgrade to the newer software version at a later point in time that seems suitable to him without re-licensing.
The downgrade right is not generally given; it must be expressly included in the license conditions ( EULA ) of the software. In addition, only one of the software versions may still be used per individual license - this right does not represent a multiplication of the license volume.
A downgrade right is more common for software for business customers than for software for private customers. For example, Microsoft allows the business version of Windows Vista to be downgraded to Windows XP Professional.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jens Rosenbaum: The Political Influence Of Rating Agencies . 2nd Edition. VS, Wiesbaden 2012, ISBN 978-3-531-16491-5 , pp. 34 ff .
- ↑ http://www.microsoft.com/germany/licenses/ueberblick/rechte/default.mspx#EXB