HW1: Chapter 1

(1.3) What are the four important attributes that all professional software should possess? Suggest four other attributes that may sometimes be significant.

All professional software should encompass the attributes of dependability, maintainability, acceptability, and efficiency.  Other attributes that have proven to be important are acceptable levels of security, good documentation, availability and compatibility. 

(1.8) Discuss whether professional engineers should be licensed in the same way as doctors or lawyers?

Licensing professional engineers should be dependent upon the area of application. Those engineers who design products that have the potential to directly harm or negatively affect the well-being of the user(s) should have some type of certification deeming them fit to design said product. These types of products may be found in the healthcare or finical industries. 

(1.9) For each of the clauses in the ACM/IEEE Code of Ethics, propose an appropriate example that illustrates that clause.

Public: A developers designs their product(s) to satisfy a need(s) of its users and community. 

Client and Employer: The developer does not use propriety information for purposed of self-benefit not to intentionally harm the client or employer.

Product: The Developer takes all necessary precautions to ensure all standard have been meet before releasing the product. 

Judgement: The Developer cites and references any original code that is not theirs. 

Management: A development team leader manages and directs his team in manner that does not defy any regulations or  the proper practice of producing a sustainable product. 

Profession: A developer promotes and works in fashion that aims to advance and grow the profession in an ethical manner that is acceptable by users and other members of the field

Colleagues: A developer is patient with his colleagues and makes honest attempts to give an assisting hand when needed.

Self: A developer continues to grow their skill-set by learning and mastering new and unfamiliar technologies with the intention of solving communal problems or improving technologies that already exists. 

(1.10) To help counter terrorism, many countries are planning or have developed computer systems that track large numbers of their citizens and their actions.  Clearly, this has privacy implications. Discuss the ethics of working on the development of this type of system.

Developing such a system requires a detailed plan that outlines specifically how and when the program is used and monitored. This is needed to ensure that the government or any of its developers or users are not violating or abusing the powers of the program by infringing on the basic privacy rights of its citizens. The objective of the government is to provide safety and security to its citizens and this may be accomplished by a monitoring program. However, it is impertinent that the developers/users of his system have a strong ethic compass and that they act responsibly and in concordance with the guidelines detailed in an "use plan". If one was not to act in a way that satisfied set guidelines it could very well negatively affect citizens by making them feel violated and restrained.