Codetrail

IDE–web-browser integration.

Codetrail User Study

The purpose of this study is to test whether new features in Codetrail are useful to software developers.

If you are a software developer using Eclipse and Firefox, you can volunteer to help us learn about how programmers use the web in their work.

By installing the Codetrail plug-ins in Eclipse and Firefox, a timeline of when you perform user-interface actions in Eclipse and Firefox will be recorded. These actions include "editing a code file" or "browsing to a web site." By default, this timeline will show only that you took an action, not any details about what data, files, or web sites were involved.

The URL of a web site you visit will be shared with researchers if you instruct Codetrail to "attach" or "bookmark" it in either Eclipse or Firefox. For example, if Codetrail prompts you to attach some documentation for automatic browsing, and you say "yes;" or if you use Codetrail to create a web bookmark on a project file in Eclipse, the URLs of such sites will be disclosed.

By participating in this study:

• You help us learn whether Codetrail is useful.
• You can help us gain a more complete picture of how integration between IDE and web browser changes how developers use the web.

As a further reward, five $25 Amazon.com gift certificates will be awarded at random to study participants who submit at least one week of data.

Note: the user study has ended. No more prizes will be awarded.

Requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You understand that you install and use this software at your own risk.
• You are a software developer using the Eclipse IDE for most development tasks, and the Firefox web browser for most web browsing.
• Codetrail requires Eclipse 3.2 or greater and Firefox 2 or greater.

Guarantees:

• Your participation is voluntary. You may uninstall Codetrail and abandon this study at any time.
• You may review all data disclosed to the researchers using an interface within Codetrail.
• Code, filenames, and web site contents will never be sent to researchers.
• The URLs of web sites you visit will be sent to researchers only if you instruct Codetrail to "attach" or "bookmark" them.
• Data submissions will include an email address you provide. The address will be removed from the data when the study ends, and will only be used to:
  • combine together all the data you submit,
  • award prizes, and
  • contact you regarding this study or the study software.
• Please email maxg at no.spammit.edu with any concerns or questions.

Note: the user study has ended. No more prizes will be awarded.

I understand the guarantees and agree to the requirements for participation.
I understand the user study has ended. No more prizes will be awarded.