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Comparison of Subjective Entropy and User Estimates of Software Complexity

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Empirical Foundations of Information and Software Science V

Abstract

We investigated subjective entropy, a new information-theoretic measure of program comprehensibility which accounts for semantics and pragmatics involved in programmer-program interaction. Student subjects were administered subjective entropy tests on program samples in dBase III and Lotus 1-2-3 Macro Languages. Since the test employed an automated tool and required an average of only 20 minutes, we found it practical to administer. Subjective entropy scores indicated that the program in Lotus 1-2-3 macro language was more difficult to understand. The scores were consistent with expert opinion and with the subjective ratings of the subjects.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA

    John Stephen Davis, Melody J. Davis & Monique M. Law

Authors
  1. John Stephen Davis
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  2. Melody J. Davis
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  3. Monique M. Law
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Information and Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Pranas Zunde

  2. U.S. Army Institute for Research in Management Information, Communications, and Computer Science, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Dan Hocking

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© 1990 Plenum Press, New York

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Davis, J.S., Davis, M.J., Law, M.M. (1990). Comparison of Subjective Entropy and User Estimates of Software Complexity. In: Zunde, P., Hocking, D. (eds) Empirical Foundations of Information and Software Science V. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5862-6_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5862-6_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-5864-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-5862-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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