When the University of Calgary announced its plans to offer a new course on “WRITING COMPUTER VIRUSES”, it unleashed a huge round of criticism and objections from the computer industry. The University’s premise is that the fourth year students need to know how viruses work to be able to develop antivirus software. Although the students will delve into ethics, they are also taught the actual coding of viruses, which worried many industry leaders.
For this activity, express your opinion of the inclusion of virus-writing instruction in colleges and universities and its potential impact on the society and the computer industry. Do you think virus-coding should be allowed as part of a computer degree curriculum? Why or why not? Will teaching illegal and unethical acts in classes help to legitimize the behavior in the society? Personally, would you agree with that decision?
An oldie but goodie – Story of Stuff (2007)
8 years ago
