Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

How Do Developers Handle Moral Dilemmas?

Posted by Cliff on from the tough-choices dept.

DwightFagen asks: "I'm curious to know how developers in the Slashdot community handle situations in which they are given a project that rubs against their moral borders. I was recently hired as a Flash developer for a design and development company and am just beginning my second project. This particular assignment is to build the video portion of an online magazine. This magazine deals with various topics and is by no means a pornographic site (although some content may border on that), but it seems one of its key tenets is to be untethered by social moral values. Though I do not believe such things should in any way be censored or banned from the internet, I do not wish to actively support something I believe to be an exploitation of human beings. What would you in the Slashdot community do in such a situation? Have any of you dealt with something like this before?" "For the sake of clarity, I'd like to mention that I'm all for the freedom of expression on the internet and that I do not in any way judge people based on the media they choose to consume.

If this were a clear cut case of pornography, my choice would be simple; but that is not the case. I do still hold myself to certain standards and believe in the value of integrity and I would also like to do work that my family and friends can be proud of (or at least work that I could show them). However, I would also like to keep my job and would not want to put my small company of very nice people in a difficult position (as the deadline is not so far off)."

12 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. Morals versus Flash development? by KNicolson · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think by choosing the career of a Flash designer you have already proven yourself morally bankrupt. I bet you also produce "Best Viewed with Internet Explorer" sites.

    PS: Links to the boobies plz!

  2. It's easy, first take the money by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Then design the site such that it makes a mockery of what it purports to represent.

    Behold: http://newbirth.org/

    1. Re:It's easy, first take the money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Thanks for the link, now I have epilepsy.

  3. How to handle moral delimmas? by GFree · · Score: 5, Funny

    Simple: have no morals.

    1. Re:How to handle moral delimmas? by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 5, Funny

      I have morals: Very strict ones actually. For starters I find it very unethical that women between 16 and 30 cover up their breasts. Not to mention I have huge moral issues with the lack of nudity and explicit sex on TV. If the world doesn't change, We'll go to hell, I tell you! God created the human body, now admire His work. How do you think an artist would feel if you came in his workspace and put up blankets over his work to claim it's better that way?

  4. To borrow from Clerks... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    RANDAL
    A construction job of that magnitude would require a helluva lot more manpower than the Imperial army had to offer. I'll bet there were independent contractors working on that thing: plumbers, aluminum siders, roofers.

    DANTE
    Not just Imperials, is what you're getting at.

    RANDAL
    Exactly. In order to get it built quickly and quietly they'd hire anybody who could do the job. Do you think the average storm trooper knows how to install a toilet main? All they know is killing and white uniforms.

    DANTE
    All right, so even if independent contractors are working on the Death Star, why are you uneasy with its destruction?

    RANDAL
    All those innocent contractors hired to do a job were killed- casualties of a war they had nothing to do with. (notices Dante's confusion) All right, look-you're a roofer, and some juicy government contract comes your way; you got the wife
    and kids and the two-story in suburbia-this is a government contract, which means all sorts of benefits. All of a sudden these left-wing militants blast you with lasers and wipe out everyone within a three-mile radius. You didn't ask for that. You have no personal politics. You're just trying to scrape out a living.

    Um so yeah, you can choose to do or not do a project...based on personal politics. Especially if it involves working for the Empire.

  5. Nowhere is this so clearly illustrated... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    How Do Developers Handle Moral Dilemmas? 12 of 8 comments

    In related news, 18 out of 12 slashcode developers believe the fundamental axioms of mathematics are oppressive and immoral.

  6. Re:Well, for those of us who care about REAL moral by QuantumG · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yeah, and we could all have a pony if only enough of us had more love to share.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  7. Re:Go read some Nietzche and Sartre by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wars are evil things

    With the following exceptions of the American Revolution, World War II, and the Star Wars Trilogy.

  8. Re:Question yourself by mattwarden · · Score: 2, Funny

    One thing however is absolutely essential: that you question those moral principles. They might be wrong. Some of them are wrong. Find them, weed them out.

    -1, Redundant! We already have plenty of comments telling him to stop developing Flash.

  9. Re:Simple by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Your sig indicates that you're a consultant. That would explain why you're asking for money up front and giving useless advice. :P

  10. Re:Well, for those of us who care about REAL moral by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Hey, If I am going to work in the Porn industry, there is only one job that I will do, and that aint creating slideshows in flash"

    I know, I know! A fluffer. Am I right?