TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: U.S. FTC Sues New Hampshire 'Spyware' Operation

Re: U.S. FTC Sues New Hampshire 'Spyware' Operation

David B. Horvath, CCP (dhorvath@notchur.biz)
Thu, 6 Oct 2005 16:54:59 -0400

PAT -- please mung return address, real name is fine.

On Date: 6 Oct 2005 09:19:43 -0700, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> It's too bad the programming profession never developed widely
> recognized codes of ethics and professional standards like CPAs or
> PEs.

Actually there are, unfortunately too many people have the mind set
"the kid down the street can do it, why should I pay more for you
because you're certified".

Check out www.iccp.org or www.acm.org or even www.ieee.org

I will mention that I volunteer with the ICCP.

> I think the programmers ought to be prosecuted as accomplices in
> creating of fraud. Likewise for those who create spam systems.

That's a tough one. If I write some generic code for the company that
they later add into the larger spamming package, would I also be
subject to prosecution even though I had no way of forseeing the final
use of that code?

Should car dealers go to jail as accomplices for selling cars to
habitual drunkards? Should gun manufacturers and dealers go to jail as
accomplices for selling guns to someone with a clean record who goes
and commits a crime with that gun?

> Can anyone make a case to defend the programmers who do such garbage?

Because they are unemployed and the alternative is their kids going
hungry/homeless (or nearly so while trying to live on McDonald's
wages)? Or because they're on H1 visas and will be kicked out of the
country if unemployed. Or they're really sitting in Russia or India or
Karjackastan which don't have laws against such activities?

- David

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