[ale] OT: Well it is going to hit the list sooner or later.

[Dow Hurst]

Excellent point using SAGE ethics.  This is a situation where the 
obvious outrage at the guy getting fired clouds the issue.  I'll keep 
the SAGE ethics in mind and get a CYA letter from someone higher up 
before pulling a stunt like that guy did.  Sincerely,
Dow


J.M. Taylor wrote:

>My interpretation of the SAGE code of ethics is the following: I do not
>read people's emails, even tho it is within my power.  I do not spy on
>people, even tho it is within my power and in many cases may prove their
>misdeeds.  I do not collect data on people's misdeeds even tho these
>people may be harming me on the job.  I do not make these decisions.  I
>just run the server.
>
>If it is required of me that I do these things, I ask for a signed letter
>from a higher-up, or the law enforcement agency or whatever, to prove that
>I was not acting on my own.  It is never right for a systems administrator
>to give in to his or her baser nature and use their technical knowlege to
>further a complaint against a coworker, unless s/he has been asked to do
>this by a superior for legally and ethically correct reasons.
>
>And yes, if my boss told me to gather data about someone that I knew was 
>goofing off all day but wouldn't give me the signed letter, I would refuse 
>to do it even if it meant my job.  That's how strongly I feel about the 
>importance of my integrity in what I do.  It's also just CYA -- when the 
>fit hits the shan and it's my word against my boss's about who ordered 
>collecting the data....no way am I going to get involved in that.  I'm 
>not completely stupid.
>
>IMNSHO this guy isn't a saint or a martyr.  He did something
>unethical, and unethical acts are unethical regardless of the motivating
>reasons.  If you steal from your company and give the money to starving
>people, it's still stealing.  If all he did was send emails about the
>boss, maybe he should've taken the time to actually go speak to someone
>face-to-face.  If he had gotten the go-ahead from a higher-up to do this,
>then it would've been fine.  It sucks that the boss didn't get fired, but
>ALDOT was entirely correct in firing the admin.
>
>Jenn
></end moral high horse>
>
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