I read recently a section in the "Test-Driven Development" book by Kent Beck that JUnit and whatever his development environment was tracks programming statistics.

Examples being:
* amount of code changes (lines changed)
* amount of compiles
* time between compiles
etc...

Has anybody thought of maybe writing some IDE add-on for Lazarus regarding programming statistics?

I'm just curious really. I can't imagine how many times per day I run my unit tests or how many times I press Ctrl+F9 to compile my project. All I can say is that it is a LOT. :-)

PS:
Anybody know if you get a "key press" counter for Linux? I remember years ago you used to get a "mouse distance" counter, telling you how many kilometers you moved the mouse per day etc.. My key presses must probably be tens of thousands per day, if not more. My poor keyboard!

Regards,
- Graeme -

I would think that 'poor fingers' is more appropriate. RSI is a common ail for programmers...

Michael.

Michael Van Canneyt wrote

I would think that 'poor fingers' is more appropriate. RSI is a common ail for programmers...

True! I try and help were I can. I got an ergonomic keyboard at home (MS Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000) and bought a special keyboard for work (Enermax Aurora) which makes typing effortless. The later is like a laptop keyboard but normal size - which I much prefer over standard desktop keyboards. I also switched +-3 years ago to Programmer Dvorak keyboard layout. This helped a lot! I rest often - which has the downside that I consume way to much coffee. :-) And I only work on LCD screens. So I try...

I'm clearly not alone this thought. Here is a website mentioning the same thing.

http://sharathrao.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/numbers-in-my-life-rightleft-click-edition/

Here is his results:
============================
I have data for 12 days from Nov 9, 2006 to Nov 21st, 2006.

Average keystrokes per day ? 41060

Average left clicks per day ? 3250

Average right clicks per day ? 490

So there, roughly 6.6 times more left clicks than right clicks, and 12.6 more keystrokes than left clicks.

I have the exact plot here, but rather noisy I would say.

At the rate of 40000 keystrokes a day, for 300 days a year, for the next 35 years, aah, makes it 420 million keystrokes.
============================

I think I will top those keystokes.... I'll google for an app tonight. :-)

Regards,
- Graeme -

Indeed.
With some typing statistics the IDE could suggest code templates and short cuts.

Mattias

Mattias Gaertner wrote

Indeed. With some typing statistics the IDE could suggest code templates and short cuts.

Now that would be interesting. I already had to customize such a lot of shortcuts to accommodate the Dvorak layout.

We actually want to implement statistics gathering in our flagship product - because users never give us feedback.

Such statistics in the IDE should also be useful. What part of the IDE is used most. Which functions (actions) are used most. Which are not ... I remember seeing a video about Microsoft gathering such data for MS Office - and that's how they designed the new "dynamic tab thingy interface" in the newer MS Office.

Regards,
- Graeme -

I think 'The Ribbon' is what you were looking for :-)

Michael.

Shortcuts are for people who never learned to use a keyboard for writing. Those people may have problems with their fingers due to their inappropriate use, too many key-combinations, too frequently switching between keyboard and mouse, etc. I've had RSI problems twice, about 40 years ago with a mechanical typewriter. After I improved my keying thechnique, they never came back again.

I also learned to distrust "ergonomical" designs, in detail as ad-ons. They tend to help their producers more than their users. Even some ergonomic standards seem not to apply to many people. A bright working place and not so bright displays, with black characters on white background, are most comfortable to my eyes.

I don't say that all other people must agree with my experience, but nobody can convince me to use laptop/notebook keyboards, touchscreens or reversed color schemes for everydays work.

DoDi

Shortcuts are for people who never learned to use a keyboard for writing.

Really? I don't think you mean what you have written there. In my book short cuts are for commands that are otherwise only accessible via mouse and menus. How does a person who learned to use a keyboard for writing indent blocks, copy text or activate code templates?

I don't say that all other people must agree with my experience...

Well, I do. ;-)

Michael Van Canneyt wrote

I think 'The Ribbon' is what you were looking for :-)

hehe... Clearly I'm not a MS Office user! Thanks, though I still can't see how they got to the name "ribbon"? It's more like a dynamic tab thingy to me - but that would probably not be a good name for marketing. ;-)

Regards,
- Graeme -

I'm also not an office user. Stronger even, that version of office has been banned here. And in most companies I know of. I guess no-one wants to send all his administrative personel on a course to learn the "new" ways...

Michael.

Hans-Peter Diettrich wrote

Shortcuts are for people who never learned to use a keyboard for writing.

I don't understand this statement. I touch type and use shortcuts a lot. I find it quicker for certain things that moving your hand over to the mouse and then back to the keyboard - I loose my type rhythm in such cases.

between keyboard and mouse, etc. I've had RSI problems twice, about 40 years ago with a mechanical typewriter. After I improved my keying thechnique, they never came back again.

More typists and programmers should really look at Dvorak!

The Qwerty layout was designed for the mechanical typewriter so the heads don't jam for fast typists. Dvorak on the other hand was specifically designed for the human being to improve typing speed accuracy and MUCH less typing fatigue. Typing is now balanced between both hands and the stronger fingers do more typing. The home row is used much more often as well.

Dvorak even has Left and Right one-handed layouts for disabled people.

I switched a few years ago and it took me about a week to get to the same speed I was at using Qwerty and to feel comfortable with Dvorak. I have now surpassed that speed by far, typing in the range of 80-100 wpm on average with 99% accuracy. Once you know how to touch type, it is much easier and faster to switch to a new layout, that when you learned to touch type the first time. BTW: I don't have any special Dvorak keyboards, I simply switch the layout via software.

Programmer Dvorak
http://www.kaufmann.no/roland/dvorak/

Standard Dvorak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard

PS:
And after my repeated requests to Ubuntu, Programmer Dvorak is now an included keyboard layout since Ubuntu 8.10. :-)

Regards,
- Graeme -

2009/8/6 Hans-Peter Diettrich :

Can you elaborate on this please? Presumably you still use "shortcuts", how does keying technique help? What do you mean by keying technique?

I sometimes wish there was a vi mode for the lazarus editor.

Henry

You're right, I was not really addressing command shortcuts.

Currently I'm stressed by various development systems that pretend to assist the user, by guessing about what the user might want to enter, and breaking the work flow with delays, suggestions und unexpected insertions.

Sorry
DoDi

Op donderdag 06-08-2009 om 17:09 uur [tijdzone +0200], schreef Graeme Geldenhuys:

We actually want to implement statistics gathering in our flagship product - because users never give us feedback.

Well, I can't say that this also holds for you, as Lazarus user. ;)

Joost.

LOL. :-D

Vincent