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Counterpoint: Software engineers can just make it a configuration option and leave it to the user to decide how it is run. Unlike civil engineers who can't buil
by flashmob 8y ago
Counterpoint: Software engineers can just make it a configuration option and leave it to the user to decide how it is run. Unlike civil engineers who can't build a bridge with a configuration option for a 'light & unsafe' bridge, software engineers can make everything an option, and that's often the best practice.
Of course, assuming that they are unaware of how their user / client / employer will actually use the software, they should be fine.
- Jach 8y ago"It should be noted that no ethically-trained software engineer would ever consent to write a "DestroyBaghdad" procedure. Basic professional ethics would instead require him to write a "DestroyCity" procedure, to which "Baghdad" could be given as a parameter." --Nathaniel Borenstein It's kind of hard to disagree...
- thebluehawk 8y agoTrue, no ethical engineer would write "DestroyBaghdad", but how about perfectly reasonable "set custom threshold for test" function that lets the client pick? And then the client chooses an unethical value.