Clinton R. Lanier, Phd, Commenting Survey

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. This research is being conducted to better understand the commenting practices and perceptions of Professional Programmers. This research is conducted with IRB approval from the New Mexico Institute of Technology. Please direct all feedback, questions or comments to Dr. Clinton R. Lanier, primary investigator.

Question 1

For what purpose do you normally use source-code comments (check all that apply)?

To help me understand my logic

To help others understand my logic

To help me plan a program

To help me understand where functions begin and end

To help me keep track of updates/fixes/modifications

To alert others to updates/fixes/modifications

To help me maintain my code

To help others maintain my code

Question 2

* From the categories in question 1, select the most important use for source-code comments.

To help me understand my logic

To help others understand my logic

To help me plan a program

To help me understand where functions begin and end

To help me keep track of updates/fixes/modifications

To alert others to updates/fixes/modifications

To help me maintain my code

To help others maintain my code

Question 3

* When do you most often write comments?

Before the code is written

After the code is written

As you are writing the code

Question 4

* Of the following, what should comments say?

Why a particular portion of the code is important

Why a particular portion of the code is written a certain way

How a particular portion of the code relates to other operations/portions of code

How a particular portion of the code works

Question 5

* Who do you primarily write comments for?

Yourself

Someone Else

Question 6

Of the following please select all examples of collaboration.

Working directly with someone (or multiple people) about a particular work project

Emailing or phone calling someone about a particular work project

Encountering a colleague in the hallway and discussing weekend events

Reading a report written 10 years ago by an ex-coworker

Searching for a solution online and finding a forum entry that helps your project

Reading another’s source code and internal documentation

Question 7

* How important is it that other people understand your code?

Very important

Somewhat important

Neither important or unimportant

Not important

Question 8

* How likely is it that other people will view/read your code?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not likely

Question 9

* What most closely resembles your opinion about source-code comments?

They are useful and important for helping me create and maintain my programs

They are useful and important for helping others understand my code

They are not useful at all

Question 10

* In your opinion, can a program be written clearly enough so as not to need comments?

Yes

Question 11

* In your opinion, how common are your programming methods?

Very common

Somewhat common

Not common

Question 12

* Of the following what is most important when trying to understand a new program?

In-depth knowledge of the language

In-depth experience with similar problem

Well written internal documentation

Thorough understanding of the history of the program

Question 13

* How important are comments to clear code?

Very important

Somewhat important

Not important

Question 14

* How much information should be contained in a useful comment?

As little as possible

As much as needed

Question 15

* Of the following, which is more important to you?

Code that works

Code that is easy to understand

Question 16

* Which of the following is your priority

Create the most efficient code possible

Quickly complete a program that solves the target problem

Question 17

* Does your organization require you to include comments in your code?

Yes

Question 18

* How long have you been programming professionally?

Question 19

* Does your organization have written standards for internal documentation?

Yes

Question 20

* What most closely describes your normal programming duties

Plan/create source-code for commercial software program

Maintain commercial software programs

Plan/create source-code for internally-used software programs

Maintain internal software programs

Script by Dagon Design