anti-feature

See also: antifeature

English

Alternative forms

• antifeature

Etymology

anti- +‎ feature

Noun

anti-feature (plural anti-features)

1. Intentionally-implemented functionality of a product or service (typically technology) which hinders or disadvantages the user, and which the seller may charge users to not include.

   The printer's anti-features made it hardly worth using: the small $40 ink cartridges get blacklisted after first use to prevent refilling.

2. (software) Functionality originally intended as a feature, but perceived as a bug, annoyance, or infringement of freedoms by some or even most users.
   • 2010, Elizabeth Castro, EPUB Straight to the Point […] , Peachpit Press, →ISBN:

     Apple's iBooks 1.1 has an important anti-feature. Full justification has been applied to all books by default on the iPad (but not the iPhone) and cannot be overridden by the book designer.

   • 2015, Hal Fulton, André Arko, The Ruby Way […] , Addison-Wesley Professional, →ISBN, page xl:

     For example, there are aliases or synonyms for many method names; size and length will both return the numbers of entries in an array. Some consider this sort of thing to be an annoyance or anti-feature, but I consider it a good design. Ruby strives for consistency and regularity.

See also

• crippleware