working as designed

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

working as designed
 adj.

   [IBM]

   1. In conformance to a wrong or inappropriate specification; useful,
   but misdesigned.

   2. Frequently used as a sardonic comment on a program's utility.

   3. Unfortunately also used as a bogus reason for not accepting a
   criticism or suggestion. At {IBM}, this sense is used in official
   documents! See {BAD}.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

working as designed

   <jargon> (IBM) Conforming to a wrong or inappropriate
   specification; useful, but misdesigned.  Frequently used as a
   sardonic comment on a program's utility or as a bogus reason
   for not accepting a criticism or suggestion.  At {IBM}, this
   sense is used in official documents!

   See {BAD}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1995-04-04)

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