08.16.08open-source and cyberculture | vid 20081 viewsource: reflective open-source software corinna...
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08.16.08 Open-Source and Cyberculture | VID 2008 1
ViewSource: Reflective Open-Source Software
Corinna BathJelena KaranovicMorgan AmesStéphane Couture
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Implementation
Reflection
Code sandboxAnnotation engineTimeline
visualization
Integration of coding and discussion
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Inspiration
http://flickr.com/photos/titanas/2231737490
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Interface: first screen
Version 0.1: first version
Version 0.2: first version: adding core engine
Version 1: first version
Version 2:big UI improvement
1998 1999 2000 2000 2000View:Name/aliasLocationGenderEthnicityAffiliationOther projectsReputation
View:Communication Hours worked Source code Bug reportsDocumentationHelp forumDesign contributionsPromotionTestingUse
Get involved! Code Sandbox | Discussion Forum | Calls for Action
Key DecisionsAnnotate …Translate …
[description of this open-source project]
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Interface: visualization options
Name/alias morganya jelenak cbath coutures coreycatt saraish l33tcodr
LocationGenderEthnicityAffiliationOther projectsReputation
Communication All Emails Chat Wiki Forums
Help forumDesign contributionsPromotionUse
Hours worked Overall Current phase Last week
Source code Bug reportsDocumentationTesting
Key Decisions
Annotate …Translate …
Get involved! Code Sandbox | Discussion Forum | Calls for Action
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Interface: visualization options
Name/aliasLocationGender women men other
EthnicityAffiliationOther projectsReputation
Communication All Emails Chat Wiki Forums
Help forumDesign contributionsPromotionUse
Hours worked Overall Current phase Last week
Source code Bug reportsDocumentationTesting
Get involved! Code Sandbox | Discussion Forum | Calls for Action
Key Decisions
Annotate …Translate …
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Leveraging other tools
• Many timeline-based code visualization tools
• Many communication visualization tools• Natural language processing techniques,
code sandbox algorithms, etc.Our contribution: promoting a
“virtuous cycle” between reflection and development
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History FlowOpenSourcesThemailAugur
Related Visualizations
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History FlowOpenSourcesThemailAugur
Related Visualizations
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History FlowOpenSourcesThemailAugur
Related Visualizations
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History FlowOpenSourcesThemailAugur
Related Visualizations
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“Embedded” ValuesSoftware as a social, organizational, technical
artifact• Expose decisions and controversies
• Located accountabilities (Suchman 2002)• Open-source software as a process – appropriable
Expose forms of contribution other than lines of code
• Design, support, training, usability …• Show how diverse contributions help drive the project
Promote technological literacy• Provide scaffolding for learning about technical systems
Encourage both action and reflection• Lower the barriers for entry into open-source• Encourage more diversity in open-source projects
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Tradeoffs and Emergent Values
visibilityReifying categories
quantitativelyAssigning credit and accountability
Who controls reputation?
Becomes a tool for surveillance?
Could this codify and enforce norms?
Rich get richer?
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StakeholdersProject contributors:• Overview of project’s key moments and trajectory (linking
coding with discussion and decision-making)• Easy transition between viewing key decisions and
weighing in
Software users:• Easily accessible recourse for problems, comments,
suggestions that come up during use by a diverse audience• Explore coding in a “safe” way, consider contributing
New volunteers to open-source:• Break down the “clubhouse” barrier and make it easier to
get involved in myriad ways
Benefit to all stakeholders:• View software as a dynamic social process, with many
aspects of contribution
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Scenario: Anita, a DeveloperOne of the few female developers for Firefox – her team
of 9 programs the renderer part of the browserInundated with project emails – filters for ones from
close colleagues, focused on low-level detailsHas ideas for other parts of Firefox, but doesn’t know
who to talk to about them
Logs hours for project, discovers it’s more than she thought
Interface gives her a sense of the trajectory of the project
Easily makes suggestions on other teams’ project code, following up on her ideas
Sees what the key debates and design decisions are and weighs in without having to read all emails
A user comments that her team’s part of the project isn’t accessible for the blind, and they change their design
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Scenario: Jérôme, a UserHigh-school history teacher in BordeauxLoves Firefox and has used it for a long timeHas a few frustrations and has thought of some
specific suggestions, but doesn’t know who to talk to or how
Learns about the Reflective Open Source tool from a student
“Lurks” on the forums and learns about the kinds of issues discussed and how they are presented
Has a dialogue with designers on the frustrations he’s had
Asked to translate some menus into French, acceptsDiscovers the code sandbox and reads others’
annotations on the source code, tries coding himself
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FeasibilityExisting resources:Data:• Record of code and revision history (e.g. CVS)• Record of written internal communications:
email, IM, wikis (with revisions), forums• Bug reports filed and resolved (e.g. Bugzilla)• Personal identifiers (e.g. wiki logins)Tools:• Analysis and viz tools for code,
communications• Natural language processing algorithms• Code sandboxing and collaborative coding
tools• Open-source contributors and users!
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FeasibilityResources to develop:Logistic:• Accurately identifying “key” communications• Measuring hours worked• Metric for contributions in design, training,
testing, promotion, impactProgramming:• Annotation engine• Code sandbox interfaceSocial:• Willingness to form a joint community
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Future Work• Spring graphs or other non-timeline
visualizations• Making the visualization more evocative?
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Thank you! Questions?
Corinna BathJelena KaranovicMorgan AmesStéphane Couture
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Interface
Aspects of contribution
(over time)
Empowerment
Characteristics of contributors
Code sandbox for easy tinkeringForum for comments, annotation, suggestionsContributions needed: translation, design, etc.