RE: Real world ethical questions

[MList -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com]

> I have two pertinent ethical issues.
> 
> Product X is intended for financial institutions, where security is
> important. There's a login/password authentication system.  But, the
> product uses Internet Explorer as the interface. It's easy to bypass
> the system. I documented that, but the product manager told me to take
> it out, not because it wasn't true, but because he didn't want people
> to know it worked that way.
> 
> Product Y is our bread-and-butter product. Some of the documentation
> is wrong. The writer got the details from the company president, who
> ordered her to write it that way because it was his "vision of how
> Product Y should work."
> 
> What can we do? Times are tough.

Obviously, you should be looking for another job.
Probably, one thing that you should do is to create an 
alternate version of your documents for those products 
that accurately describes them. Then, use THOSE versions 
as part of your portfolio.

As others have mentioned, you don't give away samples, 
but when requested, you can show your samples to prospective 
employers.  If one of them happens to recognize the product, 
you can probably have a nice discussion as to why your 
sample disagrees with the product and segué into why it 
is that you are looking for new employement.  It might also 
mollify those who want current references that you can't 
realistically offer. "I'd give you contact info for my current 
boss, but he's the one who ordered me to leave this part 
out of/put this bit into the product documents. You see my dilemma?"

If your company's product is widely used, you might want 
to write a "For Dummies" (or similar) book that notes the 
discrepancies, and have it ready to publish if/when you 
get canned, or the company goes under. A little supplemental 
income, in case the next job is slow coming (as you suggested 
at the end of your post).

You should also get all such commands (as were issued by 
your boss) in writing.  If the issuer doesn't do it, then 
you send them an e-mail, summarizing your understanding 
and asking if it is correct.  Do a blind cc: to your home 
e-mail, and to other people whom you trust. Use PGP or 
similar.... I think it hashes/encrypts the time-stamp... 
somebody else can verify.  The point is to have a record 
of your objection -- if not a written directive from the 
boss -- from the approximate time that it all happened, not 
later on when the investigation or publicity is starting 
and you'd look like you were playing self-serving catch-up.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION

Assuming that anonymous eventually leaves her/his current 
employ, and they haven't gone under, they'll probably be 
looking for a replacement.  In their selection and their 
interviews, they'll probably NOT mention this little 
episode. So, how is the next prospect -- who may very well 
be a member of this list, and/or an STC member ( :-) -- 
to learn about this company's policy before signing up?

Does anonymous have any ethical requirement to alert us 
to the identity of the ... er... fact-fudging employer?

/kevin
 (who has never posted anonymously to the list... ahem!)

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