It&#x27;s annoying when an API isn&#x27;t backwards compatible for no good reason. Android increases their version numbers quite often, which means you have to do extra work (which is annoying if someone is paying you, but worse if someone isn&#x27;t).<p>Crockford said, &quot;Changing an API is an act of violence.&quot; An API designer should think long and hard before breaking backwards compatibility: usually it&#x27;s not necessary.