Further, users of the software need not fear the failure of their vendor, and need
not wait for their vendor to implement changes the users desire. Those who take this position have created the
open source movement. Apache is an open-source web server that runs more than half of all internet servers,
CHAP. 9] SOCIAL ISSUES 173
174 SOCIAL ISSUES [CHAP. 9
Linux is a popular open-source operating system, and there have been many other very successful examples
of open-source products as well.
Whether you side with the vendors of proprietary software or with the open-source advocates, you must
know and respect the copyright and patent laws. Sections 1.5, 1.6, and 2.3 of the ACM Code of Ethics clearly
require the computer professional to recognize and respect copyright and patent protections.
PRIVACY
There is no question that information technology poses risks to our traditional beliefs about privacy.
Governments and companies can and do collect vast amounts of personal information about all of us. Usually the
information is collected and used for appropriate purposes, but the existence of the information does pose risks.
When you enter a toll road using an electronic tag to pay the toll, your travel will be tracked from the on-ramp
to your exit.
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