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In another thread, it was expressesd by a developer that they felt it was "unethical to create something that was already out there."
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Really??? An interesting argument I would like to see supported. Custom software can always be tailored to a client's specific needs. Off the shelf software cannot. Sure, off the shelf software can come close, but it is never an exact match. Further, if the client wants the option open for further enhancements, custom software is the way to go. With custom software, you control your own destiny. Also, there is a bona-fide property interest in custom software. That means a lot.

I don't see the ethical dillema. Of course, if one is asked to report on similar packages and does not do so, that is a case of fraud and another issue alltogether.



>I treat clients as adults. If the client is at a point to actually contract work, that means the following:
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>1. They know what they want (it may be hard to get an understanding of what they want but that's a different matter < s >)
>2. They have done the responsible thing beforehand and shopped their need around - this means they have looked for off-the-shelf products to meet their need. If they found something then they wouldn't be in a position to contract work.
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You may be assuming too much here...< bg >.


>These are big assumptions on my part but I feel they are valid.

I would be careful about making too many assumptions that lead a client to have a valid claim of unbargained for reliance. It is best to have the terms spelled out in writing and not leave things too susceptible to interpretation. Ulitmately, everything is open to interpretation. You definitely want to protect yourself.


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>Thanks for responding.
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>*snip*