>This sounds like situational ethics to me..... Basically, what you are saying is that "What the client does not know...won't hurt them" - It is sort of the don't ask, don't tell policy of software development.

Not at all. What I am saying is that the client doesn't know and doesn't care. They are paying to automate their business process and have no intention of getting into the software business.

>To be iron clad - it needs to be in writing. And, just because a client happens to be ignorant of what source code is or is not - does not absolve the developer of not having to do the right thing.

Agreed.