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ethics discussion

First of all, I'd like to thank yduJ for opening this up to moo-cows.  I had
been thinking about posting to moo-cows, but she's done my work for me.

Second, I'm not a member of this list, so if you respond to my post, please also
copy me.  Thanks.

A bit about where I'm coming from:  I'm a system administrator.  I have to
abide by the policies and guidelines laid down by my employer, and I also am
compelled to conform to the ethical standards set forth by my professional
peers.  I am proud to be a computer professional, and I do not want to see my
status as a computer professional devalued by the unethical conduct of other
computer professionals.

The state of "serious" moos has caused me much concern in this regard.  People
involved with these moos conduct themselves in ways which suggest that they wish
to be considered some type of computer-related professional.  For example, Pavel
Curtis presented a paper about MOOs to a conference of UNIX professionals a
couple of years ago.  I've seen some of you present your MOO experience in your
on-line resumes.

Professionalism carries with it certain responsibilities.  The SAGE code of
conduct is a statement of system administrator responsibilities, and I think
many of its guidelines might apply equally well to those of you who wish to be
considered more than amateurs.

The fact that many--if not all--of you seem to be opposed to any idea that you
have any responsibility about the conduct of wizards in general indicates to me
that _no_ wizard should be able to wrap emself in the mantle of professionalism.
This attitude common to your community is not simply negligent, it is explicitly
anti-professional.

I realize I am preaching to an unreceptive audience.  Be that as it may, I do
feel compelled to make the attempt.  I also feel compelled to do what I can to
alert my fellow system administrators to the fact that even "serious" moos, and
their wizards, pose a threat to their profession.

That's about it.  I'd appreciate any comments--please remember to copy me on
any posts to this list.

Thanks for your attention.

-- 
Karl Boyken, sys. prog., Dept. of CS, 303A MLH, U. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
email: karl-boyken@uiowa.edu              WWW: http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~boyken/
voice: 319-335-2730                                           fax: 319-335-3017
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