Interoperability refers to the process of making one thing fit with another thing — different systems and technological products, in this case. Interoperability is sort of like diplomacy between System A and System B, and as such, it is concerned with not just linguistic differences, but getting everything to work together for the common good. By extension, life itself involves interoperability, or bridging the gap between things that run on metaphorically different wavelengths. We do it in work environments, at family gatherings and certainly in any romantic relationship.

However, with something like the relationship between System A and System B, you can create standards, and neither System A nor System B will get its feelings hurt if you have to “fix” its innate nature to somehow ensure better interoperability. Although maybe someone on a technical committee will, because anytime you’ve got people working together to create some shared thing, you’re going to get different opinions. . .