From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.5-pre1 (2020-06-20) on ip-172-31-74-118.ec2.internal X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.8 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_50 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.5-pre1 Date: 13 Oct 92 04:08:29 GMT From: pa.dec.com!glg.ucs.dec.com!stella@decuac.dec.com (STella) Subject: Documentation Survey for DEC's Compilers Message-ID: <1992Oct13.040829.11397@PA.dec.com> List-Id: The documentation professionals who write both hardcopy and online information in support of Digital's compilers would like your opinion. The purpose is to improve how we provide product information to programmers who use our compilers . We value your opinion and are eager to hear from you. We will acknowledge all respondents and send a compilation of the survey's results to all who respond. Please return this survey to stella@glg.ucs.dec.com. Thanks and Regards, John E O'Neil, Documentation Supervisor oneil@casdoc.enet.dec.com Mike Etzel, Fortran Barbara Bishop, Ada Ron Johnson, Pascal Neil Savage, C++ John Paolillo, C QUESTIONNAIRE ------------- What programming languages (and what percentage of time are they used?) does your organization use? __ Ada __ C __ Cobol __ C++ __ Fortran __ Pascal __ Other(please specify) How much mixed-language programming do you do, and what languages do you use? Do you port programs from one system to another? If so, which systems? In support of your programming activities, how much do your programmers depend on finding reference and tutorial information from HARDCOPY books? ____ 100% of time ____ 75% of time ____ 50% of time ____ 25% of time ____ Other How much do your programmers depend on finding reference or tutorial information from ELECTRONIC or ONLINE information sources? ____ 100% of time ____ 75% of time ____ 50% of time ____ 25% of time ____ Other What is the biggest improvement that can be made in providing reference and tutorial information in either online or hardcopy format for compilers? In 1993, what percent of programmers at your site do you expect will be primarily using: ___ % Workstations ___ % PCs connected to window servers ___ % PCs standalone ___ % Character cell terminals There are certain ways to find information, such as the table of contents, the index, alphabetical listings, and so on. However, all of these put the burden of finding information on the end user. What can you suggest that makes finding information easier and faster? What software vendor stands out as having superior quality, accuracy and usability in the reference and tutorial information it provides with the programming languages it sells? Would you care to comment on what is important, and what to avoid, in the software industry? For example, is Windows NT from Microsoft an important platform for the future? Is an immediate and heavy investment in object-oriented programming a must? Can you envision multimedia information in support of compilers? For example, simply click to see a full motion video lecture on the exact nature of a particular error message. Or click again to get an animated overview of a compiler's new features. Can you comment on any of the reference or tutorial information that accompanies any of Digital's compilers?