How Programmers can Turn Comments into Waypoints for Code Navigation

Abstrac

From Self-interest To Commons: Distinct Aspect Of social Bookmarking Services

With web contents being generated and shared at an ever-increasing pace, a number of approaches to effectively control and retrieve contents have been developed. Social tagging is a widely implemented method for classifying contents resulting from the dispersed activities of users. Social bookmarking services (SBM) is a web service with the purpose of making information generally available on a shared basis. Accumulation of tags on SBM occurs mainly without inviting the collaboration of others, but on the basis of activities satisfying individual self-interest. SBM is in fact the optimal web platform utilizing the sum of such activities for the formation of commons

Conducting Efficient Remote Science and Planning Operations for Ocean Exploration Using Exploration Ground Data Systems (xGDS)

NASA Ames Exploration Ground Data Systems (xGDS) supports rapid scientific decision making by synchronizing information in time and space, including video and still images, scientific instrument data, and science and operations notes in geographic and temporal context. We have deployed xGDS at multiple NASA field analog missions over the past decade. In the last two years, we have participated in SUBSEA, a multi-institution collaborative project*. SUBSEA used the research ship E/V Nautilus along with its two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), Hercules and Argus, to explore deep ocean volcanic vents as an analog for ocean worlds (e.g. Enceladus). This work allowed us to compare the existing oceanographic operations methods and technologies used for ocean exploration with corresponding tools and approaches developed and used at NASA. In the first year of SUBSEA we observed existing remote science operations from the Inner Space Center (ISC)**. In the second year, we deployed xGDS at ISC to complement existing capabilities with xGDS tools designed to support remote Nautilus science operations from the ISC. During operations, video, ROV position and instrument telemetry were streamed from the ship to the ISC. As the science team watched dive operations, they could annotate the data with observations that were relevant to their work domain. Later, the team members could review the data at their own pace to collaboratively develop a dive plan for the next day, which had to be delivered on a fixed daily schedule. The opportunity to compare operations under different conditions enabled us to make several key observations about conducting remote science and planning operations efficiently: (i) Reviewing data collaboratively and interactively with temporal and spatial context was critical for the remote science teams ability to plan dive operations on the Nautilus. (ii) Science team members were actively engaged with the remote dive operations because they could interact with the collected data and visualize it as they desired. (iii) Being able to replay past events at accelerated speeds, and jump to points in time and spaced based on search results, provided efficient access to critical points of interest in a massive volume of data, so the remote science team could deliver plans on time. * SUBSEA (Systematic Underwater Biogeochemical Science and Exploration Analog) is a multi-institution collaboration supported by NASA, NOAAs Office of Exploration Research (OER), the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) and the University of Rhode Islands Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO)

Tools and collaborative environments for bioinformatics research

Advanced research requires intensive interaction among a multitude of actors, often possessing different expertise and usually working at a distance from each other. The field of collaborative research aims to establish suitable models and technologies to properly support these interactions. In this article, we first present the reasons for an interest of Bioinformatics in this context by also suggesting some research domains that could benefit from collaborative research. We then review the principles and some of the most relevant applications of social networking, with a special attention to networks supporting scientific collaboration, by also highlighting some critical issues, such as identification of users and standardization of formats. We then introduce some systems for collaborative document creation, including wiki systems and tools for ontology development, and review some of the most interesting biological wikis. We also review the principles of Collaborative Development Environments for software and show some examples in Bioinformatics. Finally, we present the principles and some examples of Learning Management Systems. In conclusion, we try to devise some of the goals to be achieved in the short term for the exploitation of these technologies

Social bookmarking: an empirical analysis of connotea users’ perspectives

This study examined the perspectives of experienced and inexperienced users of Connotea in terms of reported bookmarking behaviors, perceived usefulness of social bookmarking in information discovery and management, and perceived usefulness of particular Connotea features. A convenience sample of experienced (n=30) and inexperienced users (n=32) responded to an online survey. The questionnaire utilized a 4-point Likert scale to examine the respondents’ opinions. The findings showed that both experienced and inexperienced users of Connotea perceived social bookmarking to be useful for information discovery and management. They also perceived the features and policies of Connotea to be useful for their personal purposes. However, the reported frequencies of usage indicated that the extent of use of social bookmarking may not be substantial. Experienced users were also found to use social bookmarking for managing relevant websites while inexperienced users still preferred to use traditional bookmarking in dedicated computers. These findings have potential implications on the development and use of social bookmarking services. Through our results, we provided information on the human factors that may be considered for further improvement of social bookmarking applications.published_or_final_versionThe 2010 CITE Research Symposium on 'e-Learning Design and Designs for Learning', the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 4-6 March 2010