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Is selling any unrealized concept unethical? Of course not, if you disclose that it's unrealized. Is pitching you an idea for a company in trade for your mone
by jfager 17y ago
Is selling any unrealized concept unethical?
Of course not, if you disclose that it's unrealized.
Is pitching you an idea for a company in trade for your money wrong?
Of course not, if you disclose that it's an idea.
I think it becomes unethical when you begin lying
Which they were doing. They have your example of what would cross the line almost verbatim: "Each time we would come back with a few more 'screenshots' and tell them that development was progressing nicely and ask them for more input."
How do you position this so you don't have to lie to a potential customer, but have them assume it exists?
You don't. Creating the impression it exists when it doesn't is the unethical part. Why not just be up front with your customer and win them over with your design, insight, and ability to turn around real prototypes?
- gojomo 17y agoA good set of evolving screenshots is nice progress in development. With just a little other investigational programming on the side, everything in their presentations would have been truthful, to the level of detail that a customer cares about.
- jfager 17y agoA good set of evolving screenshots is nice progress in development. It is, but that's not what they were referring to. With just a little other investigational programming on the side, everything in their presentations would have been truthful, to the level of detail that a customer cares about. Which is a big reason why I think it's unforgivable that they chose to lie instead. They crossed a brightline in their relationship with their customer without any real benefit from doing so.