08.16.08open-source and cyberculture | vid 20081 viewsource: reflective open-source software corinna...

08.16.08 Open-Source and Cyberculture | VID 2008 1

ViewSource: Reflective Open-Source Software

Corinna BathJelena KaranovicMorgan AmesStéphane Couture


Implementation

Reflection

Code sandboxAnnotation engineTimeline

visualization

Integration of coding and discussion


Inspiration

http://flickr.com/photos/titanas/2231737490


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]


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 …



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


Key Decisions

Annotate …Translate …


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


History FlowOpenSourcesThemailAugur

Related Visualizations


“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


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?


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


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


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


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!


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


Future Work• Spring graphs or other non-timeline

visualizations• Making the visualization more evocative?


Thank you! Questions?

Corinna BathJelena KaranovicMorgan AmesStéphane Couture


Interface

Aspects of contribution

(over time)

Empowerment

Characteristics of contributors

Code sandbox for easy tinkeringForum for comments, annotation, suggestionsContributions needed: translation, design, etc.

08.16.08open-source and cyberculture | vid 20081 viewsource: reflective open-source software corinna...

Documents

cyberculture vid

opensource project slide

discussion slide

action slide

version version

development slide

code sandbox discussion

code sandbox algorithms