I think there's an important distinction to be made between lying to potential users and lying to friends, family, or business partners.
Morality is ultimately about results. I mean, it would be ok to lie in order to prevent the apocalypse, right?
Lying to users could be justified as a means to an end, if the end is sufficiently worthwhile. Lying to someone close to you has a much greater cost due to its potential to ruin your relationship, create lots of emotional pain, and end up causing a lot of collateral damage.
Things should work out as long as everybody is clear about where the line is: white lies to potential users -- maybe ok; white lies to somebody close to you -- not ok.
"Nothing in the world—indeed nothing even beyond the world—can possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except a good will."
And if you have a good will then you seek good results, so both philosphies end up in the same place, right?
Morality is ultimately about results. I mean, it would be ok to lie in order to prevent the apocalypse, right?
Lying to users could be justified as a means to an end, if the end is sufficiently worthwhile. Lying to someone close to you has a much greater cost due to its potential to ruin your relationship, create lots of emotional pain, and end up causing a lot of collateral damage.
Things should work out as long as everybody is clear about where the line is: white lies to potential users -- maybe ok; white lies to somebody close to you -- not ok.