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The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics are guidelines for ethical computer use, mimicking the structure and tone of the Biblical Ten Commandments. They include rules against causing harm, interfering with others’ work, stealing, lying, and using unauthorized resources. The final rules pertain to responsible software development. Critics argue that they are too vague, while defenders see them as general guidelines for human behavior.
The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics are a set of rules created by the Computer Ethics Institute in the style of the Ten Commandments of the Bible. They are intended as guidelines for ethical computer use, indicating ways of behavior for computer users that do not harm others or the work of other people who use computers. Some rules are created as exact mirrors of the biblical Ten Commandments, while others are more specific to computer use and deal with problems that did not exist in the ancient world. The Ten Commandments of Computing Ethics have been criticized by some individuals, however, for their overly vague or simplistic nature.
In structure and tone, the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics were created to mimic the Biblical Ten Commandments, using the “Thou shalt not” language found in the King James Version of the Bible. The first of the commandments is, perhaps, among the most important and indicates that a computer must not be used to cause harm to other people. This is followed by several rules establishing ethical behavior in the use of a computer in relation to other people’s work, specifically stating that a computer should not be used to interfere with someone else’s work and should not be used to look at someone else’s computer file.
Following these, there are several rules that are almost identical to some of the biblical commandments. These mean that a computer should not be used to steal, lie or forge information about someone else. The remaining rules are a little more specific in dealing with computer problems. These include rules against someone using software that he hasn’t paid for and using someone else’s computer resources in an unauthorized way.
The final rules within the Ten Commandments of Computing Ethics pertain to the products and software people should create. This includes a rule against a software developer using someone else’s intellectual property in their creations. While most of the rules indicate behavior that a person should not engage in, the last two rules are intended to demonstrate behavior that a person should exhibit and use. These include considerations of the consequences that a program someone is developing may have on society and other people, as well as requiring that you use your computer responsibly and show consideration for other computer users.
Those who defend the ten commandments of computer ethics point to them as general guidelines for human behavior in the use of computers and in the development of new software. Opponents or critics of these commandments often argue that they are too vague or general and do not adequately reflect the complex nature of computer use and software development. Proponents argue against these criticisms by saying that these rules are intended as general guidelines and can be used as a “starting point” for more specific rules and personal considerations regarding computer use.
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