[Asterisk-biz] A question about ethics, I suppose

[steve szmidt]

On Monday 23 May 2005 20:26, JD Austin wrote:
> Michael Giagnocavo wrote:
> >>I ask for 50% of labor and 100% of
> >>hardware costs and with a few bad jobs think that this is a safe way
> >>of weeding them out.
>
> That is a very good idea.
>
> >Even better is leaving a "secret" backdoor, that they AGREE to. Sure, if
> >they hire good enough people they can disable it. But at least it gives
> > you some level of security.
>
> I'd never thought of doing something like that (grin)  I've always
> thought of backdoors/etc as unethical, but I suppose if the client
> agrees to the back door it's ok.

Unethical my foot! It's your software until they pay for it. It's not even 
underhanded to not tell them. Though I prefer to help them stay honest by 
informing them of the module. 

If you have a "reset me or I die" module to make sure you get paid, you are 
only being unethical if you get paid and don't deliver. You're a fool if you 
don't ensure they meet their end of the deal too.

> I recently had to take a client for a programming project to court for
> non payment.  Time will tell how it turns out, but I do know that I'll
> never work on a project again without a firm specification and firm
> understanding with the client about how payment will work.

Yes, fully documented specifications are crucial.

-- 

Steve Szmidt

"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety 
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
                                Benjamin Franklin