Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!HPLB.HPL.HP.COM!libgsurv From: libgsurv@HPLB.HPL.HP.COM Newsgroups: gnu.g++.lib.bug Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8904111143.AA11141@prep.ai.mit.edu> Date: 11 Apr 89 08:54:22 GMT Sender: daemon@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu Distribution: gnu Organization: GNUs Not Usenet Lines: 194 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Libg++ Survey ============= We (HP-Labs Bristol) are doing research into reusable object classes. Libg++ is one of the biggest libraries and has been distributed to a large number of sites. We are trying to find out more about its use. We believe that a good library should - contain classes that users want [LIBRARY CONTENTS] - be structured to promote reuse [LIBRARY STRUCTURE] and contain classes - whose purpose is easy to understand [CLASS DOCUMENTATION] - and that are of good quality (ie efficient and bug-free) [CLASS QUALITY] The survey questions attempt to get some feel for the quality of libg++. Please feel free to amplify any of your answers. A. LIBRARY CONTENTS ------------------- 1. How many classes have you used? 2. List the classes that you use most frequently? 3. Which classes are you never likely to use? 4. Do you find the variants of Set, Bag etc useful? 5. Are there any obvious omissions from libg++? B. LIBRARY STRUCTURE -------------------- 6. Do you find the simple generic class mechanism adequate? 7. libg++ has been designed to provide an unstructured collection of classes, in part, as a means of promoting reusability. Is this a more promising approach than providing a unified Smalltalk-like or OOPS-like class heirarchy? 8. Do you ever derive classes using inheritence? [If so please give examples.] 9. What could be done to better promote reusability? C. CLASS DOCUMENTATION ---------------------- 10. Do you find it easy to understand libg++ classes? 11. Do you have to refer to the source code in order to use the classes? [Frequently? Sometimes? Hardly ever? Never?] 12. What are the biggest problems with libg++ Class documentation? 13. Do you find the class documentation:- Incomplete? Imprecise or Ambiguous? 14. How could it be improved? [Please send examples of good class documentation if you have any] D. CLASS QUALITY ---------------- 15. Do you consider the classes that you use to be acceptably efficient? bug-free? 16. Which classes are poorly designed? What is wrong? 17. Do you find the internal implementation tests distributed as part of the test files useful? 18. The `OK()' mechanism is designed to assist programmers in further verifying correct behavior. [Do you know how it might be used? Do you find it useful?] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The identity of respondents will be kept confidential. There will be a report on the outcome of the survey. This will be freely available from HP-Labs Bristol. Derek Coleman, HP Labs, Bristol BS12 6QZ, UK. From dc@otter Wed Apr 5 12:20 BST 1989 Received: from otter.hpl.hp.com by afarmer; Wed, 5 Apr 89 12:19:58 bst Return-Path: Received: from dcoleman by hplb; Wed, 5 Apr 89 12:21:15 bst To: arf@afarmer.hpl.hp.com Subject: Re: Libg++ Survey In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 04 Apr 89 23:08:39 A." Date: Wed, 05 Apr 89 12:19:23 BST From: dc@otter Andrew Cos I sent Doug a copy direct of course! Perhaps you can add the reply address - I am not sure what it is. Thanks Derek ----------------------------------------------------------- Libg++ Survey ============= We (HP-Labs Bristol) are doing research into reusable object classes. Libg++ is one of the biggest libraries and has been distributed to a large number ofsites. We are trying to find out more about its use. We believe that a good library should - contain classes that users want [LIBRARY CONTENTS] - be structured to promote reuse [LIBRARY STRUCTURE] and contain classes - whose purpose is easy to understand [CLASS DOCUMENTATION] - and that are of good quality (ie efficient and bug-free) [CLASS QUALITY] The survey questions attempt to get some feel for the quality of libg++. Please feel free to amplify any of your answers. A. LIBRARY CONTENTS ------------------- 1. How many classes have you used? 2. List the classes that you use most frequently? 3. Which classes are you never likely to use? 4. Do you find the variants of Set, Bag etc useful? 5. Are there any obvious omissions from libg++? B. LIBRARY STRUCTURE -------------------- 6. Do you find the simple generic class mechanism adequate? 7. libg++ has been designed to provide an unstructured collection of classes, in part, as a means of promoting reusability. Is this a more promising approach than providing a unified Smalltalk-like or OOPS-like class heirarchy? 8. Do you ever derive classes using inheritence? [If so please give examples.] 9. What could be done to better promote reusability? C. CLASS DOCUMENTATION ---------------------- 10. Do you find it easy to understand libg++ classes? 11. Do you have to refer to the source code in order to use the classes? [Frequently? Sometimes? Hardly ever? Never?] 12. What are the biggest problems with libg++ Class documentation? 13. Do you find the class documentation:- Incomplete? Imprecise or Ambiguous? 14. How could it be improved? [Please send examples of good class documentation if you have any] D. CLASS QUALITY ---------------- 15. Do you consider the classes that you use to be acceptably efficient? bug-free? 16. Which classes are poorly designed? What is wrong? 17. Do you find the internal implementation tests distributed as part of the test files useful? 18. The `OK()' mechanism is designed to assist programmers in further verifying correct behavior. [Do you know how it might be used? Do you find it useful?] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please reply to one of the following: libgsurv@hplb.hpl.hp.com libgsurv%otter@hplabs.hp.com libgsurv@hplb.lb.hp.co.uk The identity of respondents will be kept confidential. There will be a report on the outcome of the survey. This will be freely available from HP-Labs Bristol. Derek Coleman, HP Labs, Bristol BS12 6QZ, UK.