Module 6: Computer Ethics
Q. If you are to choose your top 3 difficult-to-follow computer ethics commandments, what are these?
If I'm going to rearrange the "Ten Commandments for Computer Ethics" according to the most difficult-to-follow, the following will be the top three commandments:
- Thou shalt not use or copy software for which you have not paid.
I'm practicing this before. I learned a lot from a pirated software. But it's almost three years since I used and spread the good news about Free and Open Source Software. - Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's files.
My curiosity will sometimes break this commandment. - Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
I sometimes forget to give credit to original idea or work of others specially in a slide presentation for some reporting activities. But right now, a lot of work are licensed under CreativeCommons, so this is not a problem anymore.
Q. Suppose you are to add 2 more commandments to the existing 10 commandments of computer ethics, what are these?
- Thou shalt license our digital works.
If all of our digital works are properly license, this will lessen the problem in properly appropriating people's intellectual output (8th commandment). We can help achieve CreativeCommons vision which is to realize the full potential of the Internet. - Thou shalt use computer inline with our profession's code of ethics.
Every profession have code of ethics. When using computers, we have to make it sure that we don't violate our profession's code of ethics.
Q. What is ransomware? Which of the 10 computer ethics commandments are violated by ransomware?
Ransomware is a malware (malicious software) that holds a computer, its data or a particular function "hostage" until a ransom is paid. (http://operationstech.about.com/od/glossary/g/ransomware.htm)
Ransomware violates the following commandments for computer ethics:
- Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
- Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
- Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's files.
- Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
- Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization.

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