Integrating Microblogging Into Domain Specific Language Editors

Micro logging is emerging as a suitable means for question-answering in working settings. This leads to different efforts to seamlessly integrate microblogging into the daily-used tools. Specifically, microblogging is being regarded as particularly useful during software development, akin to the tradition of Q&A forums. This paper looks at a particular kind of software: the one being developed by domain experts through the use of Domain Specific Languages (DSLs). We believe this setting is specially amenable to benefit from Q&A microblogging due to inherent limitations of the target audience. This brings the twist of domain specific ness into microblogging, i.e. the Q&A process is now framed by the semantics of the DSL constructs. This permits the introduction of editing assistants that embed domain knowledge about the kind of questions that can be posed, and the way answers can be selected. This opens an opportunity for more focused and assisted microblogging. This paper introduces Crowd Call, an in place microblogging mediator for DSL editors. The aim is to make microblogging a natural gesture during the conception of the DSL expressions, making transparent the interplay between the DSL editor and the Social Networking Services. In addition, Crowd Call can be configured to the constructs and resolution strategies of the DSL at hand so that questions and answers are framed by the semantics of the DSL. The approach is illustrated for three DSLs: the Google Spreadsheets formula language, SQL and Sticklet. We show how Crowd Call-mediated microblogging is tuned for the semantics of each DSL.