Social and Ethical IssuesSocial and Ethical Issues

Rights and responsibilities of Rights and responsibilities of Software Developers.Software Developers.

IntroductionIntroduction

Software developers have both rights and Software developers have both rights and responsibilities when developing software.responsibilities when developing software.

They have the right to be acknowledged and They have the right to be acknowledged and compensated for any work performed, and compensated for any work performed, and they have the responsibility to create a high they have the responsibility to create a high quality product.quality product.

Rights of Software DevelopersRights of Software Developers

RightsRights

Copyright protectionCopyright protection

Acknowledgment for work performedAcknowledgment for work performed

Financial Compensation.Financial Compensation.

Copyright ProtectionCopyright Protection

International laws apply to the copyright of International laws apply to the copyright of created work such as software. created work such as software.

These laws are designed to protect the These laws are designed to protect the author of the work. author of the work.

They try to prevent other people from They try to prevent other people from illegally copying their work by issuing illegally copying their work by issuing penalties such as fines and jail sentences.penalties such as fines and jail sentences.

AcknowledgmentAcknowledgment

If an author has contributed in any way to If an author has contributed in any way to the development of software, they have the the development of software, they have the right to be acknowledged in some way for right to be acknowledged in some way for their work.their work.

Usually financial, and name recognition.Usually financial, and name recognition.

Financial compensationFinancial compensation

To encourage the development of new To encourage the development of new software, developers have the right to software, developers have the right to expect financial compensation for their work.expect financial compensation for their work.

Responsibilities of Software Responsibilities of Software DevelopersDevelopers

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

AuthorshipAuthorship ReliabilityReliability QualityQuality Response to problemsResponse to problems Code of conductCode of conduct Viruses.Viruses.

AuthorshipAuthorship

All contributors to the development of a All contributors to the development of a piece of software need to be acknowledged. piece of software need to be acknowledged.

If code has been outsourced or acquired If code has been outsourced or acquired elsewhere, the original authors need to be elsewhere, the original authors need to be compensated in some way.compensated in some way.

ReliabilityReliability

Factors that may affect the reliability of a Factors that may affect the reliability of a product include:product include:

– Hardware Hardware – Operating SystemOperating System– Other softwareOther software– Run time errorsRun time errors

Reliability - HardwareReliability - Hardware

Software should be able to run on different Software should be able to run on different hardware configurations, therefore it should hardware configurations, therefore it should be tested on different configurations.be tested on different configurations.

Developers have a responsibility to perform Developers have a responsibility to perform this testing.this testing.

Reliability - Operating SystemsReliability - Operating Systems

New software products should be New software products should be compatible with various operating systems, compatible with various operating systems, and should not change default settings.and should not change default settings.

Again, thorough testing with different Again, thorough testing with different operating systems should be performed by operating systems should be performed by the developer.the developer.

Reliability - Other SoftwareReliability - Other Software

New software should not affect or be New software should not affect or be affected by other software applications.affected by other software applications.

Reliability - Run time errorsReliability - Run time errors

Error checking and detection modules Error checking and detection modules should be a standard part of code. These should be a standard part of code. These prevent or recover an application from prevent or recover an application from crashing.crashing.

An automatic save module should be An automatic save module should be implemented in the case of a ‘fatal error’implemented in the case of a ‘fatal error’

Thorough checking for errors is a major Thorough checking for errors is a major responsibility.responsibility.

QualityQuality

Quality Assurance departments are a major Quality Assurance departments are a major component of software development component of software development organisations.organisations.

They are used to ensure that a software They are used to ensure that a software product meets or exceeds user product meets or exceeds user expectations.expectations.

QualityQuality

Factors that can affect quality include:Factors that can affect quality include:

– CorrectnessCorrectness– ReliabilityReliability– EfficiencyEfficiency– IntegrityIntegrity– UseabilityUseability– MaintainabilityMaintainability

– Flexibility Flexibility – TestabilityTestability– PortabilityPortability– Re-useabilityRe-useability– InteroperabilityInteroperability

Response to problemsResponse to problems

Customer serviceCustomer service Help DesksHelp Desks Technical supportTechnical support Identification and resolution of errors are all Identification and resolution of errors are all

responsibilities of developers.responsibilities of developers.

Code of ConductCode of Conduct

A Software Developers ‘Code of Conduct’ is A Software Developers ‘Code of Conduct’ is a set of standards to which developers a set of standards to which developers agree to abide by. (Example page 11 agree to abide by. (Example page 11 Davis).Davis).

It is the responsibility of individual It is the responsibility of individual developers to adhere to this code of developers to adhere to this code of conduct.conduct.

VirusesViruses

It is a major responsibility of developers to It is a major responsibility of developers to ensure that viruses are not spread as a ensure that viruses are not spread as a result of their product.result of their product.

Policies should be in place to enforce this.Policies should be in place to enforce this.

ActivityActivity

For each responsibility identified, outline a For each responsibility identified, outline a method that can be used to ensure the method that can be used to ensure the software developers responsibilities are software developers responsibilities are maintained.maintained.