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Towards Ethical Hacking

PilotPirx 16y ago
Nice article. Reminded me of Norbert Wieners "God & Golem", where he uses the term "gadget worshipers" for people thinking, that "everything that can be done (and makes money) should be done" Though sometimes the decision may be difficult "One mans poison is another mans medicine" can become a problem. If I write a game many people may like it and it may help them to relax from work and just have a good time once in a while. Another person may become addicted to it. You can't act always to Kants rule, that everything you do should be able to become a universal law, since some things may be of great help to many people and still destroy others...
- DanielBMarkham 16y ago
  You bring up a great point -- acceptable losses. This gets into utilitarianism, what makes people better overall? It's the next logical step in the discussion. I didn't have time to go there this morning. Maybe I can follow up with it in a future article.
  - Tichy 16y ago
    I guess at least while people are picking Superberries, they don't kill anyone.
    - DanielBMarkham 16y ago
      Yes. It is much better. Better to simply disable them and leave them alive and breathing than killing them. Much cleaner -- not only does it remove them from productivity, it also forces society to drag them along. It's like those weapons that leave folks alive but just blinded or disabled -- they are much more humane.
duncanj 16y ago
I think it's good, at a basic level, to refuse to do things that shock your morality, even just a little bit. I was once told our company was going to be pitching to do work for one of those companies that sneak charges onto your credit card and then claim that you asked for it. I said, "You'll be doing that project without me." It's a risk, that you might be considered to be not a team player, but I think it makes you feel better in the long run.
- jdp23 16y ago
  Totally agree, and kudos to you for saying no. When I was at Microsoft, I refused to work on things related to Digital Rights Management, which I find abhorrent. Of course everybody has to make their own decisions about just where the line is (some people would say I had already crossed over just by working for Microsoft) but in the end you have to live with yourself so don't do things that compromise your integrity, however you see it.
ax0n 16y ago
This is not about what I thought it would be about, but it's still good.

Nice article. Reminded me of Norbert Wieners "God & Golem", where he uses the term "gadget worshipers" for people thinking, that "everything that can be done (and makes money) should be done" Though sometimes the decision may be difficult "One mans poison is another mans medicine" can become a problem. If I write a game many people may like it and it may help them to relax from work and just have a good time once in a while. Another person may become addicted to it. You can't act always to Kants rule, that everything you do should be able to become a universal law, since some things may be of great help to many people and still destroy others...

DanielBMarkham 16y ago
You bring up a great point -- acceptable losses. This gets into utilitarianism, what makes people better overall? It's the next logical step in the discussion. I didn't have time to go there this morning. Maybe I can follow up with it in a future article.
- Tichy 16y ago
  I guess at least while people are picking Superberries, they don't kill anyone.
  - DanielBMarkham 16y ago
    Yes. It is much better. Better to simply disable them and leave them alive and breathing than killing them. Much cleaner -- not only does it remove them from productivity, it also forces society to drag them along. It's like those weapons that leave folks alive but just blinded or disabled -- they are much more humane.

duncanj 16y ago

I think it's good, at a basic level, to refuse to do things that shock your morality, even just a little bit. I was once told our company was going to be pitching to do work for one of those companies that sneak charges onto your credit card and then claim that you asked for it. I said, "You'll be doing that project without me." It's a risk, that you might be considered to be not a team player, but I think it makes you feel better in the long run.

jdp23 16y ago
Totally agree, and kudos to you for saying no. When I was at Microsoft, I refused to work on things related to Digital Rights Management, which I find abhorrent. Of course everybody has to make their own decisions about just where the line is (some people would say I had already crossed over just by working for Microsoft) but in the end you have to live with yourself so don't do things that compromise your integrity, however you see it.

ax0n 16y ago

This is not about what I thought it would be about, but it's still good.