Assignment No 1: Max Marks: 60 Subject: Professional practices in S.

E Instructor: Tahir Abbas

Topic: code of ethics Due date: 15/03/2012 Format: hard form

Instructions: be precise in your answers. Question related to public principal of ACM/IEEE code of ethics: Suggest a situation in software development in which the members of software development team have to make the decision whether to report the authorities about a bug in a specific software tool that they developed. What does the code of ethics say in such cases? How would you behave in such a case? Your software house is asked to develop a software system by a company that causes air pollution but contributes a lot to the educational system in the area. The software system aims at increasing the production of the company, which might increase the air pollution. The support the company provides to the educational system is significant and may be increased when the production grows. Without this support, the education system would suffer significantly. How would you react if you were asked to take an active role in the development process? Your friend works for a software house that specializes in the development of computer games. Recently, several publications have indicated that these games influence some children negatively. These games are the main product of your friends company and, without them; the company may not be able to survive. The companys management is aware of these publications and gathers all the employees to discuss the future of the company. Assume you participate in the meeting and answer the following questions: Suggest different opinions that might be expressed in the meeting. What ethical consideration does each opinion represent? What conflicts of interest are presented in this case? What is your opinion with respect to this case? How would you behave in such a case?

Question related to client and employer principal of ACM/IEEE code of ethics: A talented software engineer works for a software house and is offered a promotion if he helps the company find out some confidential information about the main client of the company. He struggles between his desire to be promoted and his high ethical standards. What ethical issues are raised in this case? How does the code of ethics address these issues? How would you behave in such a case? Under what circumstances, if any, can this behavior be considered ethical?

Question related to Product principal of ACM/IEEE code of ethics: A software developer believes that the development methodology adopted for the project he works on is inappropriate for that project. At the same time, he knows that the time needed for changing the methodology may postpone the delivery time to the customer. What does the code of ethics in such cases? How would you behave in such a case? A software developer feels she is not qualified to manage the project she has been assigned to lead, but she knows that if she admits it, she may be fired. What does the code of ethics say in such cases? How would you behave in such a case?

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