"If it can't be or shouldn't be done..."

Are we collectively, as professional developers, really forced to do
anything our employers ask, regardless of our personal code of ethics?
Well, since most of us are not financially independant, the answer is
"generally, yes".

As permanent employees, we cannot enforce our own personal ethics in the
workplace.  We have recourse if we are fired for refusing to break the law,
but no recourse if we refuse (for example) to generate spam or use
priveleged information for marketing purposes.

doctors have the AMA - which has a well-defined code of ethics to which
doctors may adhere without getting beat up. It is purported to be honored
even in situations not governed by law.  Oh, BTW, it is pretty much
impossible to practice medicine on humans in this country without being an
AMA member, right?

Other professional organizations have their own standards and codes of
ethics to which their members must conform.

'But Dave, doctors are independant professionals, not employees..."

OK - Civil Engineers, then.  Civil engineers are generally employees, but
they also have a code they must follow. Their employers cannot punish them
for refusing to violate that code, without incurring civil liability.

I'd bet that the ASM or IEEE have some code of ethics to cover our
situation, but those organizations have no teeth.

A decade or so back, there was a movement to start a guild of some sorts
for DP professionals. I believe it got side-tracked on issues other than
ethics. Credentialling and DP labor supply manipulation, I think.

Listmemers, I task you to discuss how we as DP professionals can (not only)
define a code of ethics, but get ourselves into a position where our
employers may not penalize us for abiding by it.

-Dave D.





Robert Grimes <[log in to unmask]>@RAVEN.UTC.EDU> on 03/22/2002 08:50:30
AM

Please respond to [log in to unmask]

Sent by:  HP-3000 Systems Discussion <[log in to unmask]>


To:   [log in to unmask]
cc:
Subject:  Re: [HP3000-L] HP3000 sending html mail


Not that I disagree, but the internet and all its components have become
a commercial entity.  If a marketing person wants to send it, we as
lowly programmers have little say.  If we say it can't be or shouldn't
be done, we are viewed as obstructing them and removed or bypassed.

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