Envisage this, if you will...
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
Just make sure you license the code under BSD or similar :)
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
could you help write a Skynet type program after watching Terminator??? :-D
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning. Be careful which toes you step on today, they might be connected to the foot that kicks your butt tomorrow. You can't scare me, I have children.
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I'd put in some easter eggs[^]! :D Seriously though, I've been a vegetarian for 13 years and I make software for slaughterhouses. I think the step towards weapons of mass destruction is quite small :) Although the impact of having a Cancel button that doesn't Cancel after all is slightly bigger :^)
It's an OO world.
Easter eggs are awesome. Mine'd activate an interactive fun-filled adventure game... - "Press left-right-left-up-down to help Kitty Cat and her friends initiate the launch sequence." - "Can you get Mr. Peebles through the maze so he can activate the fuel release mechanism?" Of course, the launch would have to be delayed while IT admin worked their way through six action-packed levels of family fun.
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
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If I did it I'd have the entire miltary telling me they don't like the positioning, hue, font or prompt text of the launch button. I'd probably also get insurgent-of-the-day emails listings locations, and then I'd be asked if perhaps it would make sense to provide a few of the more trusted guys on the mailing list to have their own personal buttons so they could launch a few, you know, on the side, just to lighten the load a little. I think putting the Konami code in the main interface would probably be the thing that ended my contract. :sigh:
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
Do missiles have reputation point ?
Watched code never compiles.
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
We had a few people turned down job offer because we have defense (sub)-sub-contractor as our clients (BAE for building F35 parts); but we also sell to civilian (Airbus, but we also do military airbus planes). There are a lot of domain where one can turn down a job because of their conscience, not just military, it can be in Adult industry websites, casino websites, spam/virus shops, medical application (stem cell stuff)... Heck, even working in 3D application (3dstudio max, ... ) and frameworks (catia, ACIS, ... ) will be used in military application development ... M.
Watched code never compiles.
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We had a few people turned down job offer because we have defense (sub)-sub-contractor as our clients (BAE for building F35 parts); but we also sell to civilian (Airbus, but we also do military airbus planes). There are a lot of domain where one can turn down a job because of their conscience, not just military, it can be in Adult industry websites, casino websites, spam/virus shops, medical application (stem cell stuff)... Heck, even working in 3D application (3dstudio max, ... ) and frameworks (catia, ACIS, ... ) will be used in military application development ... M.
Watched code never compiles.
Maximilien wrote:
frameworks
I wonder how the people who built .Net sleep at night. :rolleyes:
Martin Fowler wrote:
Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.
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gavindon wrote:
And maybe, if I didn't do it, there might some chance that a worse programmer might do it and in fact cause more deaths by a faulty system.
I hadn't considered that outcome, but also to add on to that, it may cause the same amount, but due to inaccuracies those deaths may be innocent people instead. And on a related note, I had a great (might be two greats) uncle who won the Medal of Honor Freedom for improving bombing accuracy in WWII.
modified on Monday, August 22, 2011 10:25 PM
lewax00 wrote:
And on a related note, I had a great (might be two greats) uncle who won the Medal of Honor for improving bombing accuracy in WWII.
Are you sure about that? The M.O.H. is awarded for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." ~ Albert Einstein
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
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lewax00 wrote:
And on a related note, I had a great (might be two greats) uncle who won the Medal of Honor for improving bombing accuracy in WWII.
Are you sure about that? The M.O.H. is awarded for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." ~ Albert Einstein
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Well I see it like this: 0. If I didn't do it, someone else probably would, so it would get done eventually. 1. I'm not picking the targets or launching the missiles myself, so I'm not directly responsible for its victims. So, the outcomes are basically: I do it, get paid, and maybe people die, or someone else does it, they get paid, and maybe people die (likely the same ones). So I'll take the outcome that puts the money in my pocket.
Down that path lie the Nuremburg trials, "I was following orders" is no longer an excuse.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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I would happily complete the project, safe in the knowledge that the inevitable bugs would render it completely harmless... :)
:laugh:
Watched code never compiles.
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
Use "return(ToSender);" a lot :rolleyes:
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
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Do missiles have reputation point ?
Watched code never compiles.
Only very briefly!!
Silence is golden... but duct tape is silver!! Booger Mobile - My bright green 1964 Ford Falcon - check out the blog here!! | If you feel generous - make a donation to Camp Quality!!
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If you worked for a plant that manufactures hammers, and one of said hammers is used in a murder, are you responsible? Or a plant that produces fertilizer, and that fertilizer is used to manufacture a bomb used in a terrorist attack? I really don't think the responsibility lies on any one but the person who uses it.
Hammers, when used properly, do not kill. Weapons of mass destruction, when used properly, do. Very big difference.
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So, if your tax money goes to paying for soldiers that kill people.... Are you responsible?
I take what steps I can to be a war tax resister, which has nothing to do with the question at hand.
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Hammers, when used properly, do not kill. Weapons of mass destruction, when used properly, do. Very big difference.
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Down that path lie the Nuremburg trials, "I was following orders" is no longer an excuse.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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Not at all. Were the gun manufacturers prosecuted? I think not. I wouldn't be the one pulling the trigger or giving the order, so it wouldn't be my fault what happens with it.
It is a matter of scale, comparing a gun to a missile system and expecting the same consequences is not reasonable. I think it comes down to a decision whether you want to work in an industry and how hungry you are. Asking me to write code for a missile system would get a negative response, ask a young, hungry developer and you would get a positive response. Also if you asked a patriot to work in defense, it comes down to attitude and need.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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This may be a slightly grim scenario, but after reading a particular Dilbert cartoon this question has been pestering me incessantly. If the next project your manager gave you had you writing code for a missile guidance system, how would you react? Could you sleep at night knowing without too much doubt that somewhere in the world, your C++ program was helping a surface-to-surface missile find it's target? This doesn't apply to me or anyone I know, but I'm curious as to whether anybody here would turn down a job such as this on the basis of how it could affect your conscience?
A programming language is to a programmer what a fine hat is to one who is fond of fancy garden parties. Just don't try wearing any .NET language on your head. Some of them are sharp.
Having been in that spot 30 years ago, I can easily say that I would turn down the offer because I did. It was an engineering position with a major company that makes nuclear weapons, designing automated test equipment for the warheads. Later, though, after years of working to build conventional weapons I learned that our prodcuts could be readily fitted with tactical nukes in place of the usual HE payload. Around that time we were experimenting with cruise missiles and on one test, a bird ignored commands and came down in a populated area - near Ojai, CA. Now Ojai is a left wing, artsy-crafty community of wealthy artists and other fruits and nuts, plus a fair number of very well-to-do real estate agents who sell the overpriced homes in the area to said assorted legumes, so in retrospect it would not have been any loss to the world if the bomb had exploded. That was not my project, but it made me realize that there are people out there building weapons who are not competent to do so. I accepted the fact that, if we are to limit the damage caused by weapons to the bad people we point them at, rather than innocent bystanders (even real estate agents), competent people have to be willing to ensure that the job is done right. That realization, along with a few years of maturity stacked on top of my childhood naivete, enabled me to continue working in the field, eventually to doing project engineering for strategic weapons. While I still considered the product to be morally reprehensible, I had to admit that 40 years of MAD was successful in preventing a world-wide holocaust. In order to keep that precarious world from self destruction due to human error, though, required me to contribute my best effort, if for no other reason than to catch the mistakes made by others before they caused a "mishap." The short answer is that, given a need program missile guidance systems today, I would certainly do so. It's important work that absolutely must be done right and, besides, it's a hell of a lot easier than getting a Windows Form to talk to SQL Server.
Will Rogers never met me.
