- "Instrumenting" means we're implementing some sort of
mechanism to bring about ethical thought or behavior:
- Through writing (in code and in natural language)
- By carefully selecting options and default behavior
in our code
- By providing value-laden documentation
There are some excellent examples of instrumented ethics.
Some include:
Great examples of modern hacker ethics:
- 2600 magazine (and Website). Read the
letters, and see how ethics are conveyed consitently and tirelessly --
while freedom of information is stressed above all.
- cDc's Hactivismo,
a geek implementation of the UN's human rights documents. Look at
BackOrifice as an example of ethics implemented in code and
documentation; Peekabooty is an even stronger example.
- ESR's writings, including On Socially Responsoble Programming and
The Art of Unix
Programming. Clearly, hacking is an activity of curiousity, drive
and skill -- not one of destruction.
Examples of where ethics could have been added
- Freenet. In addition to adding a little ethics, this is
a fantastic platform to educate about copyright.
- Most viruses, worms and trojans. We don't really need to
be told that Outlook has security holes (and the people that
do need to be told don't listen...).
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