Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: OO Base will not run in LO Base

At 17:58 28/10/2011 +0200, Alexander Thurgood wrote:
> Le 28/10/11 14:49, Ian Whitfield a écrit :
> > I would be happy to put my DB up for 
> > examination but I am _VERY_ protective of the 
> > contents as it is all personal information of 
> > the Members in my Group and I don't want that getting into the 'wrong' hands!!
>
> If you send me the ODB file in private [...], I 
> can assure you it will remain confidential (I'm an attorney).

I'm always puzzled by this sort of claim.  The 
subjects of this personal information presumably 
expect that it will remain confidential: that is, 
not be distributed beyond the audience they 
anticipated when they provided the 
information.  If it gets to you, that expectation 
- that confidence - has already been 
betrayed.  It doesn't matter what you promise to 
do or not to do with the information: if you have 
it, it is no longer confidential.

Perhaps you think that confidentiality is 
respected if you undertake not to pass the 
information on to others.  But that idea fails 
too.  Suppose that I ask you for the information; 
following this argument, you would be justified 
in passing it on to me, provided I promised also 
to keep it confidential - presumably meaning that 
I would not pass it further.  But there is 
nothing to stop me then making use of the same 
exception that you have applied.  Do you see 
where the argument is leading?  By this theory, 
it is perfectly permissible for everybody on the 
planet to see the information, provided they all 
undertake to keep the information "confidential" 
- with this new, looser, useless meaning.

When I offer someone information in confidence, I 
expect that it will go no further - not even to 
the recipient's lawyer, let alone someone 
else's.  But you are by no means alone: many 
people think they can betray any secret as long 
as they are assured that the next person will 
behave the same way, receiving the same empty assurance.

Brian Barker


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