Looking for new business oportunities

[Russell McOrmond]

  I've been mostly just quietly reading this thread.  I'm currently on
a 5 month contract (may be extended) at Agriculture Canada which is a
bit of a culture shock from being a consultant directly to smaller
customers.

  But I wanted to comment on this one, as it has been a sore spot with
me for decades:


Robert Hodgins wrote:
>> I volunteer for a non-profit organization that gets by with donated
>> (crappy) computers
> 
> WARNING: uh oh moment pending.
> 
>>  and illegal copies of M$ software.
> 
> ka-ching!
..

> IANAL, but if you are a part of an organization using illegal stuff,
> aren't you not perhaps guilty of something else, as well?

  IANAL, but unfortunately employees are not held legally liable.  Not
being legally liable has been used as an excuse to stick ones head in
the sand.

  In fact, we live in a culture where it is considered rude to even
bring up the fact that an organization is clearly breaking the law with
absolutely no justification.  Someone claiming they can't afford to pay
for the software is an illegitimate claim when legally free alternatives
exist.  If they were being honest they would admit that they were
breaking the law because they were lazy, and they are undeserving of any
sympathy.


  I've left clients because of their use of infringing software.  At one
point I even added this who issue to my online resume:
http://www.flora.ca/open.shtml#share

  I knew that taking this stand would have minimal meaning on those
customers as there were always dishonest consultants lining up to
replace me that didn't have any moral problems with supporting (and even
supplying) infringing software.

  I'm hoping that the software support/consulting community will
eventually come forward with an ethics statement.  With the right
marketing campaign it can be something that customers look for as a
positive thing, such that they will know that hiring someone who doesn't
honour the ethics statement should be treated as a threat to their
organisation.


-- 
 Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
 Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
 rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
 http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

 "The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
  manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
  portable media player from my cold dead hands!"