Which of the following statements about a licensed professional’s use of unfamiliar commercial software for analysis is false?

A professional is ultimately responsible for all work they undertake, including analyses performed using commercial software. While widespread industry usage may suggest reliability, it does not absolve the professional of their duty of care. They cannot delegate their professional judgment to a software's reputation. The professional must independently verify the software's suitability and the accuracy of its outputs for the specific application through their own checks and understanding of the underlying principles. Relying solely on popularity would be a failure of due diligence.

A. Using unlicensed software is illegal and unethical. Professionals must ensure all tools, including software, are legally obtained and used.

B. Performing checks and dummy runs is a critical part of a professional's due diligence to validate software results before relying on them.

D. Ensuring the software is appropriate for the task and that all inputs are correct is a fundamental aspect of competent professional practice.

1. Andrews, G. C. (2019). Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience: Practice and Ethics (6th ed.). Nelson. (Chapter 4, Section 4.4, "Use of Computer Software").

2. APEGA. (2020). Guideline for Ethical Practice. (Section 3.2, "Responsibility for and Use of Professional Work Products").

3. National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). (2020). Model Rules of Professional Conduct. (Rule 240.15, Section B.1.a, regarding competence).