Comments on: Free Software and the Computer Society Code of Ethics http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/ Free software today Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:24:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Sam Vilain http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Sam Vilain Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:02:07 +0000 http://passthesource.org.nz/?p=82#comment-52 Ethical behaviour also generally means keeping within your field of expertise. And knowing when to refer patients to those who specialise in their condition. Ethical behaviour also generally means keeping within your field of expertise. And knowing when to refer patients to those who specialise in their condition.

]]> By: Matt http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Matt Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:56:45 +0000 http://passthesource.org.nz/?p=82#comment-49 I was thinking something similar recently and came to the conclusion that government should always choose open source software (if available) unless it can provide a compelling argument for not doing so. I was wondering how hard it would be to get a bill submitted along those lines. I was thinking something similar recently and came to the conclusion that government should always choose open source software (if available) unless it can provide a compelling argument for not doing so. I was wondering how hard it would be to get a bill submitted along those lines.

]]> By: Alick Wilson http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Alick Wilson Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:42:53 +0000 http://passthesource.org.nz/?p=82#comment-48 I think have a related question which I think is just as important. When choosing software, is it professional to select proprietary software without even evaluating free and open source software? I think have a related question which I think is just as important.

When choosing software, is it professional to select proprietary software without even evaluating free and open source software?

]]> By: Michael http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Michael Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:50:49 +0000 http://passthesource.org.nz/?p=82#comment-47 @ Nevyn Is it ethical to recommend a program that has more features when these extras are seldom used? I say recommend the FOSS version, but make the proprietary version available for power users. Training needs to be factored in here as well. In the office environment we have the perfect opportunity to revise needs with so much retraining needed for Office 2007. A business must identify if the power users are really talking must have features, wants, features that actually exist but have a different location/name, or if the issue is resistance to change. @ Nevyn
Is it ethical to recommend a program that has more features when these extras are seldom used? I say recommend the FOSS version, but make the proprietary version available for power users. Training needs to be factored in here as well. In the office environment we have the perfect opportunity to revise needs with so much retraining needed for Office 2007.
A business must identify if the power users are really talking must have features, wants, features that actually exist but have a different location/name, or if the issue is resistance to change.

]]> By: Nevyn http://passthesource.org.nz/2009/07/23/free-software-and-the-computer-society-code-of-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Nevyn Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:50:26 +0000 http://passthesource.org.nz/?p=82#comment-45 Is it ethical recommending a solution that's open source if the proprietary option is more complete/mature/featured? Personally I take the view that practicalities HAVE to account for the majority here. Despite Richard Stallman's standpoint that if you can't do it in Open Source, you shouldn't bother doing it, I still think that practicalities dictate that sometimes the proprietary option is sometimes the best option and to suggest an Open Source project that doesn't meet the user's need just because it's Open Source is unethical in itself. If the Open Source equivalent is just as good, or, as in most cases, better than the proprietary option, then it would be just as unethical to offer the proprietary option. Is it ethical recommending a solution that’s open source if the proprietary option is more complete/mature/featured?
Personally I take the view that practicalities HAVE to account for the majority here. Despite Richard Stallman’s standpoint that if you can’t do it in Open Source, you shouldn’t bother doing it, I still think that practicalities dictate that sometimes the proprietary option is sometimes the best option and to suggest an Open Source project that doesn’t meet the user’s need just because it’s Open Source is unethical in itself.
If the Open Source equivalent is just as good, or, as in most cases, better than the proprietary option, then it would be just as unethical to offer the proprietary option.

]]>