1. Ethics in Programming Languages and Software Engineering
Programming Language Code of Ethics
Social/Ethical Issues in PL:
S. Tanimoto
Software Engineering Code of Ethics
J. Eveland & J. Hoffstatter

2. Social and Ethical Issues in Programming Language Design
Can harm be done by designers of programming languages?
Support for system safety in P.L.
Security policies.
Who gets to program?
Should languages be easy to learn or easy to use?
Is there a right to literacy in programming? (to read programs? to write programs?)
What part do programming languages play in ethical and unethical uses of technology?
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

3. Can harm be done by designers of programming languages?
Direct harm ?
Indirect harm ?
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

4. Software Can Kill: The Yakima Software Bug
“On Saturday, January 17, 1987, the second patient of the day was to be treated for a carcinoma. This patient was to receive two film verification exposures of 4 and 3 rads plus a 79 rad photon treatment (for a total exposure of 86 rads)... The console displayed ‘beam ready,’ and the operator hit the B key to turn the beam on... the patient...reported ‘feeling a burning sensation’ in his chest. Later in the day, the patient developed a skin burn over the entire treatment area...The patient died in April from complications related to the overdose.” [from N. Leveson: Safeware, pp ].
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

5. The Yakima Software Bug (cont)
“The software problem ... is fairly well established. ...Every pass through the Set Up Test routine ...increments... a shared variable called Class3. If Class3 is nonzero, there is an inconsistency and treatment should not proceed. A zero value for Class3 indicates that the relevant parameters are consistent with treatment and the software does not inhibit the beam.”
Problem: Class3 was a 1-byte variable. Adding 1 to 255 produced 0.
Being treated with the Therac-25 radiation treatment machine was a bit like playing Russian roulette.
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

6. Who is responsible for damage caused by bugs in a program ?
(a) the user
(b) the author of the program
(c) the compiler writer
(d) the designer of the programming language
the patient? the hospital? the manufacturing company? the software designer? coder? tester?
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

7. Emergent Language Properties That Relate to Human Errors
Masterability
Fault proneness
understandability
maintainability
checkability
[J. J. Horning: Programming languages for reliable computing systems, 1979].
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

8. Language Features Found to be Prone to Error:
pointers
control transfers of various kinds
defaults
implicit type conversions
global variables
Overloading variable names
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

9. Defensive Programming
Design thoroughly
Design for testability
Design for safety by identifying, preventing, and checking for dangerous conditions
Design test methods into the system
Test during development
Keep a log of testing activities
Maintain testing tools as well as product code
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

10. Is There a Right to Program?
Literacy as a human right in the 21st century
Computer literacy ...
What forms of programming should be accessible?
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

11. CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -
Learning to Program
Several important programming languages developed from efforts to make programming easier to learn.
Logo: Lisp-like, interpreted language + turtle graphics
BASIC -- developed by Kurtz and Kemeny at Dartmouth Univ. to help undergraduates learn about computing.
Karel the Robot (a pre-Pascal teaching tool by Richard Pattis)
Smalltalk -- envisioned by Alan Kay as a programming language for kids.
Visual-rule based simulations (KidSim, Stagecast Creator, AgentBuilder, Visual AgenTalk)
Color XFORM (Image processing system) + scripting language (e.g., Lisp) -- a visual & symbolic approach at U of Wash.
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

12. Is Language Learnability Important from an Ethical Standpoint?
Some professions create barriers to entry. Should programmers or language designers ever do this?
If they do, is it ethical to do it by making languages difficult to learn?
Software written so that no one but the author can maintain it can pose a risk for those who depend on the software being up to date.
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

13. “Religious” Attitudes in Programming
Should programmers be dogmatic about language features or philosphies?
Can a programmer be pluralistic about language and still hold strong convictions?
How should programmers respect the tradeoffs between idealism and practicality in the choice and uses of programming languages?
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

14. Using Computer-Based Languages for Human Communication
Social issues in language design
Cultural biases
Limited ontologies
Visual vs non-visual (symbolic)
Interface biases
CSE 341 S. Tanimoto Social/Ethical Issues -

15. Software Engineering Code of Ethics
John Eveland
John Hoffstatter
SELECTED SLIDES FROM
CIS 6516_011
Managing Software Projects and Personnel

16. The need...

17. History and Goals 4 goals:
IEEE Board of Governors established steering committee (May, 1993).
ACM Council endorsed Commission on Software Engineering (Late 1993).
Joint steering committee established by both societies (January, 1994).
4 goals:
Adopt standard definitions.
Define required body of knowledge and recommended practices.
Define ethical standards.
Define educational curricula for undergraduate, graduate (Masters), and continuing education (for retraining and migration).

18. Research Review of available computing and engineering codes:
The American Association of Engineering Societies
Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology
ACM’s Code of Ethics for Professional Conduct
The British Computer Society Code of Practice
Institute for the Certification of Computing Professionals
Engineer’s Council for Professional Development
The IEEE Code of Ethics
National Society of Professional Engineers Code of Ethics
Project Management Institute Code of Ethics

19. Brief History Timeline
January International Task Force formed the Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practice (SEEPP).
July Initial version shown to professional societies including ACM’s SIGSOFT.
November Version 3 published in IEEE-CS and ACM magazines.
Version 4 presented to IEEE review process.
October Version 5.2 unanimously adopted by ACM and IEEE.

20. 8 Key Principles in Published Proposal:
“Software Engineering Code of Ethics”
by Gotterbarn, Miller, and Rogerson
(November 1997/Vol. 40, No. 11, CACM)
Product
Public
Judgement
Client and Employer
Management
Profession
Colleagues
Self

21. Principle 1: Products 1.01 Ensure adequate software specification
Understand specifications fully
Ensure you are suitably qualified
Ensure all goals are achievable
Ensure proper methodology use
Ensure good project management
Ensure all estimates are realistic
Ensure adequate documentation
Ensure adequate testing and debugging
Promote privacy of individuals
Use data legitimately
Delete outdated and flawed data
Identify and address contentious issues
Promote maximum quality and minimum cost
Follow appropriate industry standards

22. Principle 2: Public 2.01 Disclose any software-related dangers
Approve only safe, well tested software
Only sign documents in area of competence
Cooperate on matters of public concern
Produce software that respects diversity
Be fair and truthful in all matters
Always put the public’s interests first
Donate professional skills to good causes
Accept responsibility for your own work

23. Public
1.04. Disclose to appropriate persons or authorities any actual or potential danger to the user, the public, or the environment, that they reasonably believe to be associated with software or related documents.

24. Principle 3: Judgement 3.01 Maintain professional objectivity
Only sign documents within your responsibility
Reject bribery
Do not accept secret payments from the client
Accept payment from only one source for a job
Disclose conflicts of interest
Avoid conflicting financial interests
Temper technology judgments with ethics

25. Principle 4: Client and Employer
Provide services only where competent
Ensure resources are authentically approved
Only use property as authorized by the owner
Do not use illegally obtained software
Honor confidentiality of information
Raise matters of social concern
Inform when a project becomes problematic
Accept no detrimental outside work
Represent no interests adverse to your employer

26. Client & Employer
2.09. Promote no interest adverse to their employer or client, unless a higher ethical concern is being compromised; in that case, inform the employer or another appropriate authority of the ethical concern.

27. Principle 5: Management
Assure standards are known by employees
Assure knowledge of confidentiality protocols
Assign work according to competence
Provide due process for code violations
Develop fair ownership agreements
Accurately describe conditions of employment
Offer only fair and just remuneration
Do not prevent a subordinate’s promotion
Do not ask a person to breach this code

28. Management
5.01 Ensure good management for any project on which they work, including effective procedures for promotion of quality and reduction of risk.

29. Principle 6: Profession
Associate with reputable people
Promote commitment of this code
Support followers of this code
Help develop an ethical environment
Report suspected violations of this code
Take responsibility for errors
Only accept appropriate remuneration
Be accurate and honest regarding software
Place professional interests before personal
Obey all laws governing your work
Exercise professional responsibility
Promote public knowledge of the subject
Share software knowledge with the profession

30. Profession
6.07. Be accurate in stating the characteristics of software on which they work, avoiding not only false claims but also claims that might reasonably be speculative, vacuous, deceptive, misleading, or doubtful.

31. Principle 7: Colleagues
Assist colleagues in professional development
Review other’s work only with their consent
Credit fully the work of others
Review others work candidly
Give fair hearing to colleagues
Assist colleagues’ awareness of work practices
Do not hinder a colleague’s career
Do not pursue a job offered to a colleague
Seek help with work outside your competence

32. Colleagues
7.02. Assist colleagues in professional development.

33. Principle 8: Self 8.01 Further your own professional knowledge
Improve your ability to produce quality work
Improve your ability to document work
Improve your understanding of work details
Improve your knowledge of relevant legislation
Improve your knowledge of this code
Do not force anyone to violate this code
Consider code violations inconsistent with
software engineering

34. Self
8.01. Further their knowledge of developments in the analysis, specification, design, development, maintenance, and testing of software and related documents, together with the management of the development process.

35. Preamble
“Software engineers are those who contribute by direct participation or by teaching, to the analysis, specification, design, development, certification, maintenance, and testing of software systems.”
Prevalence of software in society provide significant opportunities to do good or cause harm.
Ensure that efforts are used to do good.
Not intended to be applied piecemeal.

36. Preamble - continued
Not to be used to justify errors of omission or commission.
Not a simple algorithm to produce ethical decisions.
Software engineer must use judgment after thoughtful consideration of the 8 fundamental principles.
Always use the public interest as the highest and governing principle.

37. Short version, 1 of 2
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.

38. Short version, 2 of 2
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.

39. More on Management
Software engineers need to know the standards which they are held to
Know policy for protecting confidential information
Assign work after considering each individual’s skills
Principle of team balance*
Provide realistic quantitative estimates
Function points & SLOC*
Well defined cost models such as COCOMO*

40. Even more on management
Fair compensation
Don’t prevent someone’s promotion if he/she is qualified
Good programmers don’t always make good managers*
Let the person progress if he shows the aptitude
Don’t punish someone for expressing ethical concerns

41. Missing from the Code Where to get help in a dilemma?
Who to report violations to?
Where to get advise and support in a confrontation with employer?
Consequences of violating the code?
Client and Employer – what do you do if their interests conflict?
Provisions for updating the Code

42. Helpful sites and References:
ACM Professional Code of Conduct
ACM Software Engineering Code of Ethics
ACM Public Policy Statements
Gotterbarn, D., Miller, K., Rogerson, S., “Software Engineering
Code of Ethics”, Communications of the ACM 40, 11 (Nov. 1997), pp
Code of Ethics is Approved”, Communications of the ACM 42, 11
(Oct. 1999), pp
Gottenbar, D. “A Positive Step Toward a Profession: The Software
Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice”, AMC
SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes 24, 1 (Jan. 1999), pp. 9-14