toff wrote:Yes.
You only run into problems when you try to use older cranksets with more modern drivetrains, but even then it can usually be made to work.
Tighter ring spacing with wider chains can be a (fixable) problem too.
When I tried using a 10 speed FSA crankset with a 9 speed Campagnolo chain on a frame with 40.6cm chain stays I got rub on the big ring when using the three smallest cogs leaving no usable overlap between rings. I had to use thin spacers (Wheels Manufacturing and Letour both sell .6mm spacers specifically for this purpose) to space it out to 9 speed dimensions after which I had no chain rub in any gear combination.