Results: JShell user experience survey

[Robert Field]

Thank you all, again, for all the responses.  We got 25 completed surveys.

Here are the results (in a nice graphical format):

       https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-N2CC9PCS/

My summary, including the "Other:" responses which I can't get it to 
show in the above view, is:

     On the question of some kind of feedback vs no feedback, feedback 
was the hands-down winner, getting 84% to 92%. Specifically:
         Both class/method questions: 88%
         Variable creation WITHOUT an initializer: 84%
         Assignment: 92%
     Expression/variable format opinions were more diverse.
         The top vote getting format was the concise arrow format
         An equal number suggested one of four formats that included the 
type.
     For variable creation WITHOUT an initializer, a consistent concise 
format using null was the winner (60%) vs a verbal format like 
class/method (20%).

The JShell design isn't a democratic process, however, I would like the 
first implemented feedback that is designed/discussed (as opposed to the 
current arbitrary feedback) to follow the predominate positions taken on 
the survey.  I will implement this soon.

The high-level:

     All declarations (class, method, and variable) and all expressions 
give feedback.
     That feedback is concise.
     Where there is a value, it is shown.
     Selecting other feedback modes should be easy, e.g. -quiet: 
https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8151754

Some things to continue to consider:

     Having the feedback closer to the goal will help with final tuning.
     Showing type information (or not) has been actively discussed.
         There are times where it is quite useful.
         However, the type can be long and complex.
         As a third element it pushes the visual complexity hard.
         Should have some way to get type.  Added: 
https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8153920
     There was a suggestion that might unify the formats (or confuse 
things):    method square(int) -> int
         Not sure how classes would be represented
     Thanks for the dial down feedback verbosity suggestion -- important 
to look at that again.
         If there were automatic ways to dial down feedback verbosity, 
that would be great, nothing clean/unsurprising has been suggested.
         Having the feedback mode persist between sessions (like the 
history) might be useful here.
             Where, as currently, the mode is set with, e.g.:   /set 
feedback verbose
             How would that play with format/prompt setting?
             Maybe all configuration should persist -- I like that!
                 Then predefined modes should be read-only
                 /set clear -- would be needed
     A concern about an 80 character limit was raised.  JShell has no 
line length limits -- that is your OS shell.  Send me a note if that 
doesn't cover it.


Thanks,
Robert