CH9 Notes

Ethics:

There can be a number of definitions but following three sentences describe what
are ethics:

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• Ethics is a field for moral science
• Ethics are the moral principals by which any person is guided
• Ethics are the rules of conduct recognized in particular to profession or

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Area of human life

Computer Ethics:
Computer Ethics is a set of rules/principals set out to regulate the use of

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computers. Three factors are considered in following:

• Intellectual Property Rights

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This covers for example copying the software without permission of owner
• Privacy Issues
This covers for example hacking or any illegal access to another person's
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personal data.
• Effect of computers on society
This covers factors such as job losses, social impacts etc.
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Plagiarism:
Use of the internet has led to increase in plagiarism. Plagiarism is when a person
takes another person's idea/work and claims it as their own. Whilst it is perfectly
fine to quote another person's idea, it is essential that some acknowledgement is
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made so that originator is known to others.

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 The ACM/IEE Software Engineering code of Ethics:
The Association for computer Machinery (ACM) and institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers(IEEE) has issued some Code of ethics to cover the issue
regarding:
• PUBLIC

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Software engineers shall act consistently with public interest.
• CLIENT AND EMPLOYER
Software engineers shall act in a manner that is the best interest of their
client and employer consistent with the Public interest.

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• PRODUCT
Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related
modifications meets the highest professional standards as possible.
• JUDGEMENT

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Software Engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their
professional judgment.
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• MANAGEMENT
Software Engineers managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote
an ethical approach to the management of software development and
maintenance.
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• PROFESSION
Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the
profession consistent with public interest.
• COLLEAGUES
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Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.

• SELF
Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the
practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to
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practice profession.
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 Ownership:

Data ownership:
having legal rights and complete control over a single piece or set of data
elements.

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• Copyright gives the creators of some types of media rights to control how
they're used and distributed.

• Programming ideas and methods can be stolen by competitors, software can

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easily be copied and
bootlegged (sold illegally) hence legislation is needed to protect the ownership,
usage and copy right of data.

Copyright:

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A formal recognition of ownership of a created and published work.
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If an individual creates and publishes some work that can have element of
originality, the individual becomes the owner therefore claim copyright.
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Free Software Foundation:

• License gives user freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve
software.
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• Condition: any redistributed version of software must be distributed with

original terms of free use, modification, and distribution (aka copy left).

The Open Source Initiative:

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• Source code of an open-source software is readily available to users under a

copyright; does not enable user to re-distribute the software
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• Concept of open-source program relies on fact that a user can review a source-
code for eliminating bugs in it.
 Shareware:
• Demonstration software that is distributed for free but for a specific evaluation
period only.

• Distributed on trial basis and with an understanding that sometime later a user

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may be interested in paying for it.

• Used for marketing purposes

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Commercial:

Requires payment before it can be used, but includes all program's features, with
no restrictions.

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