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Abram Hindle
abezblog@abez.ca
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Tue, 10 Aug 2004
Subject: ACM Ethics
I noticed on the ACM website they have a
http://www.acm.org/constitutio...
Code Of Ethics for all their members.
In this code of ethics they suggest you are to respect IP and that includes Patents. Software patents are included. I think it is really silly that as a member of the ACM we are expected to respect the ludricious claims of so many software patents holders, that they somehow own instructions you came up with. Even worse many of these patents are intentionally vague and thus can be applied to too many. Like the Eloas issue with Microsoft.
In Memoirs of software pioneer by M. Goetz, we learn initally software patents were used by the small companies to fight off the larger companies (IBM). Now it seems muddled with corporations assuming more and more power and simply forming agreements they wont sue each other. I can't say I agree with Goetz's purpose in trying to get software patents recognized, it seems to me more like a company trying to compete using the legal system instead of a good product. Of course the problems at the time were related to IBM bundling software with their machinery and giving it away. Which in late 60s and 70s seemed like a really bad thing but now the world has changed..
Subject: Computer Virus Class
Saw a lecture about a prof at the University of Calgary running a course
on computer viruses:
Last fall the University of Calgary offered a course on
computer
viruses and malicious software, the first of its kind in Canada and
one of only a handful that have ever been offered worldwide. The
course generated a global stream of controversy and media attention,
in part because students were taught how to write viruses as well as
defend against them.
I will talk about the rationale behind the course, what I taught the
students, how we put together a secure laboratory for course work,
and the experience we gained.
It was interesting. They made a special lab and tonnes of security so no code could escape. Students even couldn't download copies of their assignments. He didn't seem very interested in the fact that the students worked hard and paid money but couldn't keep property which was rightfully theirs. I really could care less what a document or software does, if you made it, it is yours (or at least you should take a copy of it for your own use (there are issues when you work for a company)).