Short-answer Questions

Chapter 1
1. Brieflydescribethedifferencebetweennegativeandpositiverights
(libertiesandclaimrights).Giveanexampleofanegativerightanda
positiveright.
2. Brieflycomparedeontologicalandutilitariantheoriesofethics.Whichis
morerelative?Whichismoreabsolute?
3. Arethereeverinstancesinwhichalegalactmightnotbeanethicalact?
Explain.

Chapter 2
1. Twoapproachestotheproblemofprotectingpersonalinformationare(a)
thefreemarketviewand(b)theconsumerprotectionview.Howdothese
pointsofviewdifferontheissueofacompanydisclosingpersonal
informationaboutitscustomers?Howdotheydifferontheissueof
errorsinthedataaboutanindividualthatisdistributedbyacreditbureau?
2. Brieflydescribewhatan"optin"policyisandan"optout"policyis.
Let'ssayyouwerefillingoutasurveyforanonlinemagazine.Givean
exampleofwhatyoudseethatwoulddistinguishanoptinfromanopt
outpolicy.
3. ConsidertheEuropeanUnionandtheUnitedStates.Whichoneofthese
cultureshashistoricallyplacedahighervalueuponprivacy?Explain.
4. WhydidtheUnitedStatestrytorestrictstrongencryption?Whateffect
didthatattemptatrestrictionhaveonU.S.businesses?
5. WhataresomeprosandconstohavinganationalIDcardthatcan
accessallofonesfinancialandmedicalinformation?
6. WouldtheSocialSecurityNumberbegoodtouseasanationalIDfor
U.S.citizens?Whyorwhynot?

Chapter 3
1. Listtwoargumentsagainstandtwoargumentsinfavorofanonymityon
theInternet.
2. DescribetwotechniquestoremainanonymousontheInternet.
3. Whatarethreetypesof"speech"thatarenotprotectedbytheFirst
Amendment?
4. Whataretwothingsbulkemailersneedtodoinordertobeincompliance
withtheCANSPAMAct?
5. WhatisWikiLeaks?Explainhowonemightviewitsfounder,Julian
Assange,asatraitor.Explainhowonemightviewhimasahero.

Chapter 4
1. Definefreesoftware,opensourcesoftware,andproprietarysoftware(also
calledcommercialsoftware).Inwhatwaysaretheythesameandinwhat
waysaretheydifferent?
2. WhatisDigitalRightsManagement(DRM)?Giveanargumentforitand
anargumentagainstit
3. Whatarecopyrightandpatentspecificallymeanttoprotect?
4. Whatexclusiverights(withsomeimportantexceptions)doesU.S.
CopyrightLawgivecopyrightholders?
5. Whatarefourfactorsusedtodetermineifuseofcopyrightedmaterialis
"fairuse"ornot?
6. WhataretwomainprovisionsoftheDigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct
(DMCA)?
7. Whatisonesignificantproblemwithpatentsforinventionsimplemented
insoftware?

Chapter 5
1. Givetwowaystoidentifyanemailasaphishingattempt
2. HowdidtheUSAPATRIOTActexpandtheComputerFraudandAbuse
Act?
3. WhataretwosignificantissuesraisedbytheStuxnetworm,which
damagedequipmentinauraniumenrichmentplantinIran?
4. Whyis"harmlesshacking"notharmless?
5. Giveargumentsforandagainsthiringformerhackerstoenhancesecurity.

Chapter 6
1. Definetelecommuting.Givetwoadvantagesfortheemployerandtwo
advantagesfortheemployee.Givetwoproblemsassociatedwith
telecommuting.
2. WhatdoestheElectronicCommunicationsPrivacyAct(ECPA)cover?
Whydoesitmakespecificexceptionsforbusinesssystems?
3. Givetwoargumentsforandtwoargumentsagainstelectronicemployee
monitoring.

Chapter 7
1. GivetwooftheNeoLudditecriticismsofcomputertechnology.Give
onecounterargumentforeach
2. Whatthreequestionsshouldweaskwhenevaluatingcomputermodels?
3. Whataretwosoftwaredesignanddevelopmentfactorswhichcontribute
tosystemerrorsandfailures?Whataretwomanagementanduse
problemswhichcontributetosystemerrorsandfailures?
4. WhatisasignificantcriticismofWikipedia?

Chapter 8
1. Listtwoprinciplesforproducingsoftwarethatmighthavepreventedthe
crashofAmericanAirlinesFlight965nearCali,Columbiain1995.
Brieflydescribewhateachoneisandhowitmighthavemadea
difference.
2. BrieflyexplaintheTherac25case.Whathappened?Whataresome
reasonsthemachinefailed?Whyweretheresomanyincidents?

Chapter 9
1. How do professional ethics differ from general ethics?
2. Why is honesty one of the most fundamental values?
3. Explain why keeping one's professional skills up-to-date is a requirement
of professional ethics.