Programming Code Of Ethics

This article attempts to enumerate the key points of proper conduct for Computer Programmers. Much of this is based on the Code Of Ethics of the now-defunct International Programmers Guild.

Following are the 28 Code of Ethics every computer programmer must follow:

A programmer must…
1. Never create or distribute malware.
2. Never write code that is obfuscated or intentionally difficult to follow.
3. Never write documentation that is intentionally confusing or inaccurate.
4. Never reuse copyrighted code unless the proper license is purchased or permission is obtained.
5. Acknowledge (verbally and in source code comments) the work of other programmers on which the code is based, even if substantial changes are made.
6. Never write code that is deliberately inefficient with the intent of later claiming credit for making efficiency improvements.
7. Never intentionally introduce bugs with the intent of later claiming credit for fixing the bugs, or to stimulate the uptake of later versions.
8. Never write code that intentionally breaks another programmer’s code for the purpose of elevating one’s status.
9. Never hide known obstacles to a project’s completion during any phase of development, especially the design phase.
10. Never dishonestly downplay the difficulty of completing a project.
11. Report any illegal activities of the employer.
12. Never defame the profession.
13. Never falsely deny the presence of bugs.
14. Never reveal the secret corporate knowledge of an employer.
15. Never accept compensation from multiple parties for the same work unless permission is given.
16. Never perform competitive work without the employer’s knowledge.
17. Never conceal pertinent information from other members of the development team.
18. Never conceal from the employer their financial interest in development resources.
19. Never conceal any conflict of interest that may affect the project.
20. Never seek external profit from a project that was funded by a second party without permission. If permission is given to resell a product, the work should be discounted.
21. Never maliciously injure the reputation of an employer or members of the development team.
22. Never misrepresent their knowledge, experience, or abilities.
23. Never take credit for another’s work.
24. Never steal software, especially development tools.
25. Never conceal the deficiencies of other programmers by writing code for them and allowing them to pass it off as their own work.
26. Install third-party applications without the user’s permission. Preferably not at all.
27. Stay current on the advancement of the field of Computer Science.
28. Never force updates on a user without their knowledge and approval.

Computer programming is the art of designing and implementing computer-based applications for the benefit of organizations, government, the public, and others. Most computer science majors are working in the job market as computer programmers. Most of the computer science students are introduced to a code of ethics course which I believe is crucial for them before entering the job market so that they become aware of all the legal and ethical issues surrounding their career. According to the above mentioned 28, programming code of ethics which I think are all important and should be considered by all computer programmers in their working environment. I want to shed light on some of these ethics.

“A programmer must Stay current on the advancement of the field of computer science”. This is really important as the field of computer science is rapidly advancing and new technologies are emerging almost every year. A good computer programmer should keep his knowledge updated to be able to cope with these advancements or otherwise he will not be able to secure his position. “A programmer must never create or distribute malware”. According to Wikipedia, malware refers to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software, including computer viruses, adware, scareware, and other malicious programs. Malware is the most prominent form of harm in the field of computer science. All of us have heard about computer viruses and their destructive capabilities to computer systems. A programmer should not badly utilize his skills to develop such malicious programs to harm others. “A programmer must never steal software, especially development tools.” Computer programs can be easily copied and replicated. This may look like a virtue of computer programs, and it is. However, this introduces a major legal problem. Consider this example, one of your friends purchased a media player software and you asked him to give you a copy of it. He agreed and now you both have the software running, but only one of you have paid for it!! This is unethical and also illegal. Computer programmers should be aware of this and never do this action especially for the software they are using to develop their programs.