feature

   1. [common] A good property or behavior (as of a program). Whether it
   was intended or not is immaterial.

   2.  [common]  An  intended  property  or  behavior (as of a program).
   Whether  it  is  good  or not is immaterial (but if bad, it is also a
   {misfeature}).

   3.  A  surprising  property  or  behavior; in particular, one that is
   purposely  inconsistent  because  it works better that way -- such an
   inconsistency  is therefore a {feature} and not a {bug}. This kind of
   feature is sometimes called a {miswart}; see that entry for a classic
   example.

   4.  A  property or behavior that is gratuitous or unnecessary, though
   perhaps  also  impressive or cute. For example, one feature of Common
   LISP's  format  function  is  the  ability  to  print  numbers in two
   different Roman-numeral formats (see {bells whistles and gongs}).

   5.  A  property  or behavior that was put in to help someone else but
   that happens to be in your way.

   6.  [common]  A  bug  that  has  been documented. To call something a
   feature  sometimes  means  the author of the program did not consider
   the particular case, and that the program responded in a way that was
   unexpected  but not strictly incorrect. A standard joke is that a bug
   can  be  turned  into  a  {feature}  simply  by  documenting it (then
   theoretically  no  one  can  complain  about  it  because it's in the
   manual),  or  even  by  simply declaring it to be good. "That's not a
   bug,  that's  a  feature!"  is a common catchphrase. See also {feetch
   feetch}, {creeping featurism}, {wart}, {green lightning}.

   The  relationship  among  bugs,  features,  misfeatures,  warts,  and
   miswarts  might  be  clarified by the following hypothetical exchange
   between two hackers on an airliner:

   A: "This seat doesn't recline."

   B:  "That's  not  a bug, that's a feature. There is an emergency exit
   door built around the window behind you, and the route has to be kept
   clear."

   A:  "Oh.  Then  it's  a  misfeature;  they  should have increased the
   spacing between rows here."

   B: "Yes. But if they'd increased spacing in only one section it would
   have  been  a  wart  --  they would've had to make nonstandard-length
   ceiling panels to fit over the displaced seats."

   A:  "A miswart, actually. If they increased spacing throughout they'd
   lose  several  rows  and a chunk out of the profit margin. So unequal
   spacing would actually be the Right Thing."

   B: "Indeed."

   Undocumented  feature is a common, allegedly humorous euphemism for a
   {bug}.  There's  a  related joke that is sometimes referred to as the
   "one-question  geek  test".  You  say  to someone "I saw a Volkswagen
   Beetle  today  with  a  vanity  license  plate that read FEATURE". If
   he/she laughs, he/she is a {geek}.

[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {bug}{case and paste}{compact}{creeping featurism}{Dissociated Press}{enhancement}{feature}{green lightning}{misbug}{miswart}{restriction}{That's not a bug, that's a feature!}{undocumented feature}{wart}{wizardly}]