# Alternatives for "crippled" for "deliberately made worse" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301 "2021-01-12T01:34:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/1 "2021-01-12T01:34:24Z")
Sure, we all know the alternatives for calling a person crippled: e.g. disabled, handicapped, a specific disease name, etc. No need to get into those. But I just was talking about how a new version of a particular piece of software had decided to deliberately made an aspect of it worse to push people to pay for the more expensive option. My normal word for that is “crippled” – “I don’t think people should have to pay more due to a deliberately crippled experience.” I’m not interested in people saying “it’s okay to still say crippled.” Maybe it is, but it hits me wrong, so I’m wanting something else. Nor is this an argument about whether such tactics as I describe are legitimate. I’m just drawing a complete blank on synonyms for this, and I’m pretty sure that they exist. I chose IMHO because I’m open to people explaining their opinion about which synonym is the best, more natural, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/2 "2021-01-12T01:41:13Z")
Hamstrung. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/3 "2021-01-12T01:45:41Z")
or hobbled. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/4 "2021-01-12T01:47:58Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But I just was talking about how a new version of a particular piece of software had decided to deliberately made an aspect of it worse to push people to pay for the more expensive option. My normal word for that is “crippled” – “I don’t think people should have to pay more due to a deliberately crippled experience.” Disabled. Hobbled. Compromised. Minimized. I would think the type of difference would give a better idea. Made it worse how? Slowed. Abbreviated functions. Reduced customization. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/5 "2021-01-12T01:51:36Z")
In that specific context, crippled software performance, I think I like “deliberately **downgraded** ” or “deliberately **degraded** ”. But in most other contexts, I think I’d usually prefer other synonyms that have been mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/6 "2021-01-12T01:54:04Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But I just was talking about how a new version of a particular piece of software had decided to deliberately made an aspect of it worse to push people to pay for the more expensive option. “Microsofted” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/7 "2021-01-12T01:55:50Z")
Every time I hear that word, I recall the hobbling scene from _Misery_. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/8 "2021-01-12T01:59:46Z")
Fuckered-up > [@Monty](#): > > Every time I hear that word, I recall the hobbling scene from _Misery_ . The book or the movie? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/9 "2021-01-12T02:02:16Z")
Good question. Movie. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/10 "2021-01-12T02:02:59Z")
I’m just being an SK snob. (Book is worse!) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/11 "2021-01-12T03:53:30Z")
When I was a young teen, if my brothers or I wanted to go to a movie that there was a book on already, such as _Misery_ or _Rome and Juliet_, my parents required us to read the book first, and then give them an oral book report without notes before they would give us permission to go to the flick. I discovered a few years back that my parents weren’t the only ones with that policy. Initially, I did not like it; however, thanks to my parents, I really got more out of the film than my friends did. But there’s no way I could’ve made it through reading _Misery_. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/12 "2021-01-12T04:10:02Z")
“Sunset” is a related verb for when the company just stops supporting it. While the intent may not be to worsen it, that is the effect. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/13 "2021-01-12T04:11:59Z")
derated; decontented; abridged; limited ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/14 "2021-01-12T05:15:51Z")
How about “unabled”? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/15 "2021-01-12T05:21:13Z")
Any number of slang terms regarding fixing a racehorse eg “nobbled” could apply. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/16 "2021-01-12T09:29:53Z")
I have been using the word “hobbled” and I’m glad that others suggested it. On a parallel note, where traditional industry terminology is now distasteful: It’s common in technological frameworks to have a primary system which holds most data, drives critical processes, and makes key decisions, and secondary systems which largely mirror the primary system and follow its lead. The usual way to describe this arrangement is “master” and “slave.” I hate hearing this, every time it comes up. It’s traditional, it’s accurate and understood in the industry, but it always rubs me the wrong way. When I’m talking about these system relationships in my work, with clients or co-workers, I do my best to avoid this, using alternatives like “primary/subservient” and such. Am I alone? Does anyone else do this? Has new terminology been introduced and gained any level of wider acceptance? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/17 "2021-01-12T09:36:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But I just was talking about how a new version of a particular piece of software had decided to deliberately made an aspect of it worse to push people to pay for the more expensive option. I’ve seen ‘nerfed’ used in contexts similar to this (usually when certain important features are rendered unusable, either as a marketing scheme for the higher-price option, or by accident). When data (not software) is deliberately rendered impotent, the term is ‘munged’ - this is often done for example to create test user profile data that doesn’t actually relate to real-world people or addresses ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/18 "2021-01-12T10:37:57Z")
feature-limited? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/19 "2021-01-12T11:05:22Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Every time I hear that word, I recall the hobbling scene from _Misery_ . Maybe think instead of hobble skirts? > **[Hobble skirt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobble_skirt)** > > A hobble skirt was a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearer's stride. It was called a "hobble skirt" because it seemed to hobble any woman as she walked. Hobble skirts were a short-lived fashion trend that peaked between 1908 and 1914. > At a 1908 Wright Brothers demonstration in Le Mans, France, Mrs. Edith Ogilby Berg asked for a ride and became the first American woman to fly as a passenger in an airplane, soaring for two minutes and seven seconds. She tied a rope s... “Hobble” seems a good word for the OP. The second definition **[here](https://www.google.com/search?q=definition%20hobble&cad=h)** is closest, “tie or strap together (the legs of a horse or other animal) to prevent it from straying”. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301/20 "2021-01-12T11:32:31Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Hamstrung. First word that sprung to my mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-for-crippled-for-deliberately-made-worse/930301.md?page=2)