TechnologyShould Be Useful.Business Should BeHonest.
Matthew Web's Code of Ethics defines the standards we want to follow in customer relationships, technology development, project communication, research, and business decisions.
Standards That Apply Before the Sale
Ethics should affect how a project is sold, scoped, built, tested, explained, supported, and improved.
Tell the Truth
Matthew Web should describe services, products, projects, capabilities, pricing, and development status accurately without inventing results, customers, partnerships, certifications, or guarantees.
Recommend What Fits
A customer should not be pushed into unnecessary software, features, pages, subscriptions, or technical complexity when a simpler solution can solve the real problem.
Communicate Clearly
Customers should understand what is being proposed, what is included, what still needs to be decided, and what information is needed from them.
Define the Work
Projects should have clear expectations around scope, pricing, responsibilities, revisions, delivery, and other important terms before substantial committed work begins.
Correct Problems
When something needs to be reviewed, repaired, clarified, or improved, Matthew Web should address the issue directly instead of avoiding reasonable responsibility.
Treat People Fairly
Customers, contractors, partners, vendors, and other people working with Matthew Web should be treated with professionalism, respect, and consistency.
Do the Right Thing Even When It Is Harder.
Matthew Web uses the phrase “Washington-Style Integrity” as a simple internal reminder that character matters when business decisions become inconvenient. The principle is to be truthful, take reasonable responsibility, and avoid choosing the easiest path simply because nobody would notice.
Ethics Applies to What We Build
As Matthew Web expands beyond websites into software, games, education, AI-assisted development, CPU architecture, FPGA research, and future hardware, the same standards should continue to apply.
No Misleading Technology Claims
Research, prototypes, active development, commercial products, and finished services should be clearly distinguished from one another.
Security Awareness
Websites and software should be built with reasonable attention to authentication, access control, updates, data handling, backups, and technical risk.
Respect User Information
Customer and visitor information should be collected for legitimate business purposes and handled according to applicable privacy practices and published policies.
Use Technology Responsibly
Automation, AI, analytics, software, and future hardware should be used to improve usefulness and efficiency without intentionally misleading users or hiding important decisions.
Integrity Should Show Up in the Process
Values are more meaningful when they influence the actual steps used to work with customers.
Understand the Need
Start with the business problem or project objective before recommending technology.
Explain the Solution
Describe what is being proposed and why it is appropriate for the situation.
Establish Expectations
Clarify scope, price, responsibilities, limitations, and important project conditions.
Build Carefully
Develop the website, software, or other technology with attention to usefulness, reliability, maintainability, and user experience.
Review the Work
Test and review the project before treating it as complete or ready for release.
Own the Outcome
Communicate about legitimate problems, needed corrections, support, and future improvements instead of disappearing after delivery.
Ethics Guide the Business. Project Agreements Define the Deal.
This Code of Ethics describes Matthew Web's general business principles and intended standards of conduct. Specific customer projects may later be governed by separate written agreements, statements of work, payment terms, policies, and other applicable documents. Those project documents should define the actual contractual terms for that work.
Build Something Useful. Build It Responsibly.
If you need a website, custom software, search support, business functionality, maintenance, or another practical technology solution, Matthew Web aims to start with clear communication and an honest understanding of the problem.