anti-feature

plural anti-features · alternative antifeature

1. Intentionally-implemented functionality of a product or service (typically technology) which hinders or disadvantages the user, and whose removal may incur an additional charge.

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

2. computingFunctionality originally intended as a feature, but perceived as a bug, annoyance, or infringement of freedoms by some or even most users.

   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.

   2010, Elizabeth Castro, EPUB Straight to the Point […] , Peachpit Press, →ISBN

   1 more example

   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.

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