On 13 August 2010 17:21, Marnen Laibow-Koser <li...@ruby-forum.com> wrote: >> If a client asks to produce the functionality to export data into the >> office-application format of their choice, then it's not irresponsible >> to do exactly that. > > Yes it is. If a client asks me that, then it is my responsibility as an > ethical, responsible developer to tell them that IMHO they are making a > suboptimal choice, and to explore other alternatives with them.
For instance: They want a application (web-technology-based or otherwise) to manage their foos and bars - it's going to be internal only. They use MS Office desktop applications. They want their application to export mailshots as Word documents so they can edit them before printing. There is no alternative to explore. Certainly, if you think they are making bad choices, then it's right to tell them. But the final decision is theirs (and I'd recommend their decision should be to let me decide ;-) > The client gets to dictate business needs, not technical implementation. But they're paying, so if they have a technical implementation requirement, which they stick to despite my advice to go with another choice, then I would judge it to be unethical to not do what they want. If my objection is big enough, then I can quit the job. [1] [1] I'm currently working on some PHP development, which is running on IIS and MSSQL, because some middle-manager bought an expensive server, which has to be seen to "work". It's frustrating, but that's the situation. I work with it, or I don't. They *won't* install *nix and MySQL, etc. I really don't like it, but my mortgage has to be paid. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-t...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
