I am a software consultant and recently reached an agreement with a new
client to upgrade their database system. Their current system was
developed
quite a while ago using technology that I'm not familiar with and is
somewhat difficult to figure out, but the client was able to put me in
touch
with the previous developer and I contacted him to see if he was available
to explain. They parted ways on somewhat bad terms and haven't spoken in a
few years, but I have exchanged some emails with him and he seems willing
to
help. However, today the client informed me that he just got an email from
this developer saying that he was very interested in doing the new system
himself and wanted to bid against me for the job. This strikes me as
incredibly unethical, and the client thought it was so contemptible that
he
isn't even responding. Does anyone consider this to be acceptable
behavior?
It seems that this guy knew he was being underhanded because at the end of
the email he asked the client not to tell me about it, "since if he does
end
up being your next developer and needs to contact me for info I would want
him to feel comfortable, which he might not if he knew I offered to bid
against him".
Glenn
