Why developers should start choosing conscience over profit

http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/18/developers-choosing-conscience-over-profit/

by johns • 13 years ago

26 26 13 years ago

niggler5• 13 years ago

It's easy to suggest that developers shun "profit"-based targets like ad-optimization, but those thoughts only seem to come to those who have already secured themselves financially (although I don't know the exact financial position of Jeff Hammerbacher or Alex Payne or Jason Cavnar, they certainly aren't strapped for cash) and these articles come off as people talking out of both sides of their mouths.

I'd like to see concrete examples with high-profile companies of where conscience was favored over profit.

jcavnar5• 13 years ago

Hey, thanks for the comment. Your point about financial security and "high-profile" companies are exactly the narrative I'm taking aim at. Fame and fortune are not truly sufficient motivators for innovation. Developers can do more and deserve better than to barter their skills for either of those two things. Also, show me a modestly talented developer in today's tech economy who is "strapped for cash" and I will show you someone who choses to not help themselves.

niggler5• 13 years ago

Point-blank: I see the entire social media ecosystem (not the individual social networks but the businesses that thrive because of it or cater to it), including Singly, as part of the problem: It stretches the definition of "making" and basks in the frivolity of reality shows etc. And I think you are talking out of both sides of your mouth by promulgating this conscience while taking millions of dollars of VC money and focusing on the exact problem you are lamenting -- I bet you dollars to donuts that your investors ultimately want you to focus on profit.

Solving problems in the realm of ad optimization, for example, are as much making as any of the projects you see on github or any of the arduino projects you see mentioned here and elsewhere. In fact, in many ways those ad problems are harder, usually involving more advanced math or clever data analysis techniques to deal with large amounts of data.

'Also, show me a modestly talented developer in today's tech economy who is "strapped for cash" and I will show you someone who choses to not help themselves.'

The joke here is that the developer who is choosing conscience over profit is the type of developer who would be working at a nonprofit or other context that wouldn't be paying nearly as well as a vc-backed startup.

Nursie2• 13 years ago

Actually there are many people in the world who would have moral issues with working to make the world a worse place, but still need to keep the paychecks coming in.

I know a few developers who would never work for the defense industry, because no matter how justified some wars may be they don't want to directly contribute to weapon code. I'm not sure if I'm with them as it's never come up, but it might be.

I know a fair few people (myself definitely included) who would never work for companies making intrusive ads or advertising/tracking software, because it actively makes the world a worse place for everyone.

These aren't exactly ditching it all to make software that actively makes the world a better place, but if we all refused to make the world a worse place, wouldn't that be good as well?

And if you're reading HN, you have career and employment choices, you really do.

jcavnar5• 13 years ago

totally agree with you about actively choosing things that dont make the world a worse place. great point.

chimi5• 13 years ago

I asked some engineer friends of mine who work for a govt contractor building helicopter control systems how they felt about their work being used to kill innocent people in foreign countries.

To answer the question, they rubbed their fingers together making the "money gesture"...

abc_lisper• 13 years ago

Hahahahahahahahahahaha ..... ok

chimi5• 13 years ago

I'll get downvoted to oblivion for saying this, but conscience is why I choose closed source over open source.

If I open my source code, anyone in the world can use it to do whatever they want, evil or otherwise. With closed source, I can choose who my customers are -- at least I have more control over it. Of course if people are skilled, bad, and determined enough, nothing will keep them out.

I can and do, also choose to let people use my software for free when I want to. With Open Source, I don't have that power.

jcavnar5• 13 years ago

That's a super interesting point. What is the project?

chimi5• 13 years ago

It's a cloud based database application development environment.

canibanoglu2• 13 years ago

This is basically why I'm partial to open source. Free software with control over who has access to the source is a much better solution.

chimi5• 13 years ago

If anyone but you has the source, you no longer control access to it. You and they do and if they decide to upload it to BitTorrent, what are you going to do?

eevilspock4• 13 years ago

That's a very cynical view.

I, for example, support the ACLU's defending the KKK's right to free speech. In the long run... or as MLK might say, the arch of free speech is long but it bends toward good. The same I believe for open source.

makerbreaker• 13 years ago

The author should hire a hacker for 100k/yr and let them work on whatever "is fulfilling" to them then, as it must be nice to look down on "optimizing your paycheck" when student loans exist. Fwiw making cool stuff and money are not mutually exclusive.

thebear• 13 years ago

I always think of Tim O'Reilly as an inspiring example of a Maker. Will I ever be anywhere close to being up there with him? No. Will I consider myself a failure if I'll never be a true Maker? No. But it doesn't hurt to go through life with the aspiration to be a little bit like Tim O'Reilly. Perhaps that will make me spot an opportunity that I would otherwise have overlooked. This quote by the man himself never ceases to inspire me: “Pursue something so important that even if you fail, the world is better off with you having tried.”

Why developers should start choosing conscience over profit

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