Almost-Compatible
Complete compatibility is just not to be found between people. Compatibility is a social ideal. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. used the word "duprass" to describe a married couple that is inseparable, but even that kind of relationship is bound to encounter occasional difficulties. Compatibility fluctuates over time depending on the situation at hand, and so metrics could be taken such as "average compatibility level," or "frequency of change in compatibility level." Also, certain things can be more or less compatible with other things. Certain ideas can be more or less compatible with certain other ideas. And certain things can find themselves to be incompatible with certain ideas.
Types/Categories:
1. Interpersonal: The degree to which two people get along. (Because they speak it the same language, and maybe because they have the same goals.)
2. Inter-group: Two nations, or many nations might get along most of the time. The merger of two companies might be accretive. (Their computers might speak the same language. They might jointly be able to outperform their competition in the marketplace.)
3. Ideally/Ideologically: Two ideas or ideologies can often be found to be complementing each other, or riding the same wave, or working toward the same almost-ends.
4. Physically: Things might be almost-compatible in physical size, shape, color, number, chemistry, etc. (In enzyme action, and in the cross-breeding of plants and animals this is important.)
Examples:
Often we don't find the absolute perfect tool for the job, and sometimes we need to hammer the thing down with the heel of a shoe (for example).
In fashion, using almost-complementary patterns and shapes is a way of being different while still getting away from "the suit" idea.
Also almost-compatible:
