What's this stuff in the syllabus mean??? (1 Viewer)

[Saintly Devil]

1)
In the social and ethical issues (i'm talking about the HSC course here, not prelim) it says that "students learn to identify the impact on consumers of inappropriately developed software.

How does authorship impact consumers?

2)
In the software market of social and ethical issues, it says "students learn about the effect on the marketplace".

Now the effect on the marketplace of *what* exactly? and i've looked in both S.Davis's book as well as A.Fowler's book, and i can't make head or tail, of what it means by "effect on the marketplace".


Can anyone enlighten me??

 

[user]

Originally posted by Saintly Devil
1)
In the social and ethical issues (i'm talking about the HSC course here, not prelim) it says that "students learn to identify the impact on consumers of inappropriately developed software.

How does authorship impact consumers?

Say for example a software company, lets call it Microsux, produces poor quality software (authorship- developers have a responsibility to create software whcih is quality, reliable, interoperability, robust, whole list of about 20 things etc) at higher prices. Consumers fork out money for the software. They realise that the software is full of bugs. Theoretically, the consumers will be wary of Microsux, and all software developers in general. There is a thing in Sam Davis book about this.

Originally posted by Saintly Devil

2)
In the software market of social and ethical issues, it says "students learn about the effect on the marketplace".

Now the effect on the marketplace of *what* exactly? and i've looked in both S.Davis's book as well as A.Fowler's book, and i can't make head or tail, of what it means by "effect on the marketplace".


Can anyone enlighten me??

effect of social and ethical issues on the marketplace
you pirate stuff, stuff gets more expensive

 

[Saintly Devil]

uh oh, i'm getting more confused.........

Originally posted by user

Say for example a software company, lets call it Microsux, produces poor quality software (authorship- developers have a responsibility to create software whcih is quality, reliable, interoperability, robust, whole list of about 20 things etc) at higher prices. Consumers fork out money for the software. They realise that the software is full of bugs. Theoretically, the consumers will be wary of Microsux, and all software developers in general. There is a thing in Sam Davis book about this.

isn't reliability and quality and stuff in regards to the code of conduct?

and isn't authorship about how developers need to aknowledge the sources from which they obtain their code, and the need to abide by copyright? because that's what i don't get. how does copying someone else's code affect the consumer?

 

[user]

why do you think SW developers and the industry in general have a code of conduct? It doesn't make their job any easier
the code of conduct is one of the responsibilities etc

authorship: ownership of a work. iof people didn't have copyright on a work, if everyone could freely copy Windows, then there would be no incentive to create quality work and abide by the code of conduct etc

 

[Saintly Devil]

Originally posted by user
authorship: ownership of a work. iof people didn't have copyright on a work, if everyone could freely copy Windows, then there would be no incentive to create quality work and abide by the code of conduct etc

my point exactly.

but if i'm the developer, and i copy someone's code and sell it as my own, then how does the consumer get affected??????

I don't see how they get affected AT ALL.

I'm not asking about code of conduct and the other responsibilities of the developer (e.g. reliability, consistensy, response to problems......) - solely the authorship responsibility. i.e. how does copying others' work affect the consumer?

 

[del]

hmm well i guess if you copy code which isn't exactly robust or efficent in performing its tasks then the consumer would be affected because it wouldn't be of high quality....and so on

glad there was no such question in this yrs hsc.....

 

[Saintly Devil]

hmm well i guess if you copy code which isn't exactly robust or efficent in performing its tasks then the consumer would be affected because it wouldn't be of high quality....and so on

hmm...yeah, that's possible, although i think only part of the answer

glad there was no such question in this yrs hsc.....

unfortunately, I am yet to do the hsc........

 

[anti]

Originally posted by Saintly Devil
i.e. how does copying others' work affect the consumer?

The consumer will probably pay less, but will get code of lower quality. And then if there are lawsuits raised, the prices will increase again to counter legal fees. I don't think you'd be expected to go into TOO much detail on the consequences

Also consider that code plagiarism is different to open source code or code released under the GPL.