First, Do No Harm - A Hippocratic Oath for Coders?

rhysweatherley asks: "With the increase in spyware, spam, etc, is it time for a Hippocratic Oath for Programmers? Should programmers be able to refuse to write code that harms the public more than it helps? Should they code defensively to prevent software and information being misused for unintended purposes? And how do we protect such programmers from being dismissed unfairly for standing on principle?"

Comments

ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics

[NearlyHeadless]

http://www.acm.org/serving/se/code.htm

Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
ACM/IEEE-CS Joint Task Force on Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practices
Short Version
PREAMBLE
The short version of the code summarizes aspirations at a high level of the abstraction; the clauses that are included in the full version give examples and details of how these aspirations change the way we act as software engineering professionals. Without the aspirations, the details can become legalistic and tedious; without the details, the aspirations can become high sounding but empty; together, the aspirations and the details form a cohesive code.

Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. In accordance with their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of the public, software engineers shall adhere to the following Eight Principles:

1. PUBLIC - Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.

2. CLIENT AND EMPLOYER - Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer consistent with the public interest.

3. PRODUCT - Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.

4. JUDGMENT - Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.

5. MANAGEMENT - Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance.

6. PROFESSION - Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.

7. COLLEAGUES - Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.

8. SELF - Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession.

Re:Even doctors are abanodning the Hippocratic Oat

[alansz]

Ok, it's slightly off-topic, but just to clear the record.

I work at the College of Medicine of the University of Illinois at Chicago, which is the largest one in terms of MDs graduated annually in the US (about 400 per year).

Like many other US Medical Colleges, the oath that graduates take is the 1948 Declaration of Geneva version of the Oath of Hippocrates, which reads:

Now being admitted to the profession of medicine, I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity. I will give respect and gratitude to my deserving teachers. I will practice medicine with conscience and dignity. The health and life of my patient will be my first consideration. I will hold in confidence all that my patient confides in me. I will maintain the honor and the noble traditions of my medical profession, My colleagues will be as my family. I will not permit consideration of race, religion, nationality, party politics, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient. I will maintain the utmost respect for human life. Even under threat I will not use my knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. These promises I make freely and upon my honor.

As you can see, even medicine changes with the times, while trying to maintain the important features of the Oath of Hippocrates.

Programmer Codes of Conduct from Around the World

[Alien54]

There is this page of Codes of Ethics for Programmers from Around the World. The list is quite long.

http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/WorldCodes/Wo rldCodes.html

That said, a well written poetic work catching the proper spirit, and conducive to memorization is probably worthwhile

Oath for Scientists, Engineers, and Executives

[Alien54]

As seen here:

http://www.globalideasbank.org/BOV/BV-381.HTML

Hippocratic oath for Scientists, Engineers, and Executives

I vow to practise my profession with conscience and dignity;

I will strive to apply my skills only with the utmost respect for the well-being of all humanity, the earth, and all its species.

I will not permit considerations of nationality, politics, prejudice, or material advancement to intervene between my work and the duty to future generations;

I make this Oath solemnly, freely, and upon my honour