Summary: What Was Done

D.Sc. Dissertation Project

Explore Two Questions

• Does hypertext linking aid in understanding the structure of an object-oriented class library?
• Can an empirical controlled study be conducted remotely using the Internet?

Tools Constructed

• Hyperlinking program capable of inserting HTML anchors and links in a set of Ada 95 package interfaces ("header files")
  • Link all packages in the set together, child to parent
  • Link each type usage to its point of declaration, whether in the same or another package
  • Overall index page listing each packages with a link to its file
  • Parser generated by Aflex/Ayacc; actions written in Ada 95
• Common Graphics Interface (CGI) programs to operate the controlled experiment over the World Wide Web
  • Written in Ada 95 using Ada 95 interface to CGI library