Definition of Ethics
Definition of Ethics
Ethics deals with the basic principles of right action especially with reference to a particular person, profession, and others.
Like other professionals, Software development engineers should respect the confidentiality of their employer or clients regardless of whether or not a formal confidentiality agreement has been signed. For example, ABC Corporation is engaged on software development. XYZ Corporation is a client of ABC Corporation. Part of the system development activities is data conversion and migration, which means that XYZ Corporation gave their customer database to ABC Corporation for conversion or migration. The owner of ABC Corporation has a brother with the same business line as XYZ Corporation. With the intention to help his brothers business, the owner of ABC Corporation gave a copy of the customer’s database of XYZ Corporation to his brother. This act of ABC Corporation is the same as a breach of confidentiality and trust.
Ethics as a concept suggests the notion of correct or incorrect practices relative to various concerns or field of study.
Software/Application developers should know their own skill set and level of competence. They must not knowingly accept projects/jobs that are out of their field of expertise. For example, John is a web page designer. One day, a neighbor of John asks him to repair a computer which broke down. John was no proper training and exposure in computer trouble shooting much more to repairing a computer. John was ashamed to turn down the job and accepted it.
Ethics is the study of the morality of human actions.
As human beings, we were graced with knowledge to distinguish right (ethical) from wrong (unethical). Theft or robbery is wrong and unethical. Software and application systems with databases contain private information and access to these systems is limited to authorize users. Decoding password to penetrate application systems with an intention to steal information is unethical. For example, Hacking is stealing and an unethical action.
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Case of Rona
If I am to judge the case of Rona, my verdict is guilty on Infringement of Intellectual Property Right. This is because rules of conduct define that stealing is wrong. Copying and getting anything without the consent of the owner is stealing. And stealing is universally accepted as wrong. Also, Rona is not excused from not knowing that there is a law in community “A” that prohibits reproduction and trading of intellectual property like computer software. Rona has a responsibility to know what laws are impose at community “A” before her visit to Jojo and while at that place she must abide by those laws. As the saying goes “When on Rome do as the Romans do.”
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Applied Ethics.
Journalist's Ethics
formulated by the Philippine Press Institute and National Press Club
1. I shall scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts or to distort the truth by omission or improper emphasis. I recognise the duty to air the other side and the duty to correct substantive errors promptly.
2. I shall not violate confidential information or material given me in the exercise of my calling.
3. I shall resort only to fair and honest methods in my effort to obtain news, photographs and/or documents, and shall properly identify myself as a representative of the press when obtaining any personal interview intended for publication.
4. I shall refrain from writing reports which will adversely affect a private reputation unless the public interest justifies it. At the same time, I shall fight vigorously for public access to information.
5. I shall not let personal motives or interests influence me in the performance of my duties; nor shall I accept or offer any present, gift or other consideration of a nature which may cast doubt on my professional integrity.
6. I shall not commit any act of plagiarism.
7. I shall not in any manner ridicule, cast aspersions on, or degrade any person by reason of sex, creed, religious belief, political conviction, cultural and ethnic origin.
8. I shall presume persons accused of crime of being innocent until proven otherwise. I shall exercise caution in publishing names of minors and women involved in criminal cases so that they may not unjustly lose their standing in society.
9. I shall not take unfair advantage of fellow journalists.
10. I shall accept only such tasks as are compatible with the integrity and dignity of my profession, invoking the 'conscience clause' when duties imposed on me conflict with the voice of my conscience.
11. I shall comport myself in public or while performing my duties as journalist in such manner as to maintain the dignity of my profession. When in doubt, decency should be my watch word.
Summary: Above is the code of ethics of Philippine Journalist, in the list we can say that ethics is on rules of conduct and the correct practices relative to a profession.
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Ethical and Unethical
An act is ethical when it is compliant to norms and unethical when the act is in contradiction to norms. Norms are moral standards or social conducts that distinguish right from wrong or from good and band. Example is killing is not a norm therefore killing is unethical and preservation of life is ethical.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five ethical norms to govern computing:
1. Computers should not be use to steal. Meaning, breaking in computer systems or Hacking is unethical.
2. Software Engineers should consider social consequences of the applications they develop. Meaning, Engineers must not create programs that can be destructive to society or the values of society.
3. Software Engineers must not knowingly accept projects/jobs that are out of their field of expertise.
4. Software Engineers should respect the confidentiality of their employer or clients regardless of whether or not a formal confidentiality agreement has been signed. Meaning, spreading information about a client or about a clients’ project is unethical.
5. Computer users must only use software that they paid for.
posted by Loreta Georgina G. Magsombol at
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