Use of Hypermedia Tools for End-User Development

Software development tools aimed at end-users tend to employ various forms of visual programming because these users find textual programming very difficult to learn. However, visual programming has known scalability issues. As an alternative, we propose hypertextual programming; a technique that represents the program as hypertext and allows the user to both browse it and manipulate it mainly by using navigation. This technique leverages the users' ability to navigate in hyperspace, a widely available skill, to edit the program under development. In order to reap the benefits of this technique, adequate hypertextual editors must be built. Many of the lessons learned in the web engineering area can be used to deal with this problem. This paper discusses the state of the current research efforts behind this novel programming technique.Publicado en Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, vol. 6385).Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad

Use of Hypermedia Tools for End-User Development

Software development tools aimed at end-users tend to employ various forms of visual programming because these users find textual programming very difficult to learn. However, visual programming has known scalability issues. As an alternative, we propose hypertextual programming; a technique that represents the program as hypertext and allows the user to both browse it and manipulate it mainly by using navigation. This technique leverages the users' ability to navigate in hyperspace, a widely available skill, to edit the program under development. In order to reap the benefits of this technique, adequate hypertextual editors must be built. Many of the lessons learned in the web engineering area can be used to deal with this problem. This paper discusses the state of the current research efforts behind this novel programming technique.Publicado en Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, vol. 6385).Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad

CAN END-USERS PROGRAM?

In recent years, personal computing has changed direction and is now more inclined towards the world of mobile computing. This means that end-users expect a simpler and more personalized experience. To achieve the highest level of customization, end-users must develop their own applications. However, end-users usually lack in having the right skills for that task. To address this problem, many end-users programming languages and frameworks have been devised. These are particularly aimed at reducing syntax and cognitive gaps. However, some of the existing solutions reduced the expressiveness of the language and thus reduced the generality of the program, while others remains too complex for end-users. In this work we devise a new framework, named Dev4Me, designed from the ground up to provide end-users a solution for developing mobile and personal apps. The framework is made up of a new form-based language, an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and an execution environment. The new framework enables the users to develop, test, debug and use their own apps in a few simple steps, using familiar form filling experience

Use of Hypermedia Tools for End-User Development

Software development tools aimed at end-users tend to employ various forms of visual programming because these users find textual programming very difficult to learn. However, visual programming has known scalability issues. As an alternative, we propose hypertextual programming; a technique that represents the program as hypertext and allows the user to both browse it and manipulate it mainly by using navigation. This technique leverages the users' ability to navigate in hyperspace, a widely available skill, to edit the program under development. In order to reap the benefits of this technique, adequate hypertextual editors must be built. Many of the lessons learned in the web engineering area can be used to deal with this problem. This paper discusses the state of the current research efforts behind this novel programming technique.Publicado en Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, vol. 6385).Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad

Social software: facilitating information-, identity- and relationship-management

During the last years, a growing number of online-based applications has been developed that facilitate the creation, articulation and maintenance of social networks. They are often referred to as "social software", but up to now there is neither an accepted definition of this rather vague term, nor is there a comprehensive analytical framework to describe and explain the social dynamics that come with the institutionalization of these tools. This paper starts with a proposal for a definition and its analytical elements, concentrating on the affordances social software allows. It will then sketch an analytical model of "social software practices" based on the three key concepts of rules, relations, and code, briefly discussing these elements and their interdependencies. The paper will conclude with an outlook how the definition and the analytical model might aid and inform future academic research as well as software development