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OFF TOPIC: Questions about Open Source Development.

Peder Schmidt & Rickard Nordström query at mhk.lu.se
Fri Jul 7 09:16:35 EDT 2000 
Hello!

We are two students writing our master thesis about open source
software. First we want to describe what open source development is
and how it works. Secondly, we want to compare the open source model
of developing software to traditional project groups working in
accordance to a life-cycle model. Your help would be greatly
appreciated! Our focus lies on business critical systems, so most of
the questions will reflect this.

Your name and e-mail will remain confidential!

Please send your answers to:
query at mhk.lu.se


Thank you in advance!


July 2000
Peder Schmidt and Rickard Nordström


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BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
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- Age?


- Gender?


- What is your profession?


- What kind of tasks do you perform at your job?


- What is your programming experience (if any)?


- How much time do you spend on open source development (if any)?


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QUALITY FACTORS, RATED
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The scale used is 1 to 5. 
1 means strong favour to opensource development methodology.
2 means favoring open source.
3 means equally good.
4 means favoring traditional development.
5 means strong favour to traditional project groups working in
accordance to a life-cycle model. 

We would be grateful if you commented upon your choice.



- Which development process provides the best environment for uniform
design? (For example code consistency and implementation techniques)
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process provides the best traceability?
(For example cross-referencing functions in the software to specific
pieces of code)
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process gives the best support for writing
software with the required precision in calculations and software
output? (For example efficient or correct algorithms)
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process support construction of "robust" software
best? (Continuity of operation under non-nominal conditions)
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process support implementation of functions in the
most understandable manner best? (For example self-explanatory
variable names and comments in the code. Usually avoidance of
practices which increase complexity)
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process best prevents the existence of trapdoors
and trojan horses in the software?
Rating (1-5):


- Which development process provides the best environment for 
construction of software resistant to Denial of service attacks?
Rating (1-5):


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QUALITY FACTORS, DESCRIPTIVE
----------------------------------------------


- How is open source software tested, except for peer-reviews? Are
there any formal methods?


- In case you have experience in professional development of software
how do you test the software 
in that environment?


- If you have developed open source software, did you use any existing
source code from other projects?


- If your answer to the question above was yes, did you feel that the
code was usable "as is" and comprehensive or did you have to modify it
to suit your needs?


- If you have experience in professional development of software, did
you use any existing source code from other projects?


- If your answer to the question above was yes, did you feel that the
code was usable "as is" and comprehensive or did you have to modify it
to suit your needs?


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THE OPEN SOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
-----------------------------------


- Describe the different phases an open source project passes through.
What happens in each specific phase?


- What documents are usually generated (if any) during the open source
development process?


- When do you consider an open source project to be "mature"? (if your
answer is never - then please explain this)




Thank you for filling out this questionnaire!

Please send your answers to
query at mhk.lu.se
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