> But what is more important is that your programs should *never*, under
> *any circumstances*, modify a user's system without telling them
> first.
> 
I agree, most emphatically, with Warren. I absolutely detest a program
that does anything I don't tell it to. I've even stopped using Yahoo as
my home page because of their sleazy "pop-under" ads.

People who make secret changes to my system do it because they know I
wouldn't allow it otherwise. That's sleazy. That's cheating and lying.
Like Howdy, I would delete your program--no matter how good it is--on
principal. If you're adding a short cut secretly, I suspect you're
making other changes to my system secretly (gathering my passwords? my
financial information?).

Show the user some respect. It's his/her system, and they should decide
whether they want a short cut to your program. It could be offensive
without your realizing it--e.g., a shortcut to a fundamentalist
Christian site on a Mosque's computer (or a Jewish Temple's).

Yeah, technically, you can do it, but I see no upside to it. You really
need to have a chat with your client. If he/she insists, I'd consider
backing out of the contract on the grounds that you are being asked to
do something unethical. Or do the contract without the shortcut, and
provide the client with the source code so he can get somebody less
principled to add it.

Cordially,

Kerry Thompson
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