Dongpu Jin MS Thesis 2014: PrefFinder NLP Experiments

Improving Preference Recommendation and Customization in Real World Highly Configurable Software Systems

Abstract

Highly configurable software systems, such as web browsers, development environments or office applications, may have a large number of preferences that the user can customize. Often, only a subset of these preferences are provided through the use of a menu option and documentation may be scarce. When faced with the task of trying to identify which configuration option should be modified to change a particular system behavior, the user may have to search through hundreds or thousands of options, and these may come from multiple sources. Furthermore, simple pattern matching searches often fail. In this paper we present PrefFinder, an automated framework that uses natural language processing and information retrieval to help locate the desired preferences. The input is a query in natural language. PrefFinder returns a rank ordered list of the potential options.

In a case study on a Firefox PrefFinder prototype, we have evaluated PrefFinder and several variants of our parsing algorithms to improve matches in this context. Using 100 queries obtained from an online forum, we determine that using a backward search during word splitting, combined with a synonym database, achieves the best results. The correct configuration option is found 50 percent of the time within the top 20 choices, and 73 percent of the time overall. In a comparison against a standard web search, we show that PrefFinder is competitive in finding the answer, but at a potentially lower cost.

List of dictionaries:

A dictionary used in AMAP, which was originally derived from the ISepll English Word List.
A list of contractions used in AMAP.
Lists of common prefixes and common suffixes used in Samurai.
A list of common computer science abbreviations derived from here.
A list of stop words used in AMAP with minor tuning, which was originally derived from here.

Experimental Data for RQ1: PrefFinder Identifier Splitting Results.

PrefFinder Identifier Splitting Resutls
Oracle	txt	csv csv
Camel Case	txt	csv
Greedy	txt	csv csv
Backward	txt	csv csv
Dynamic Programming	txt	csv csv
All in One File	txt	csv csv

Experimental Data for RQ2: PrefFinder Suggestion Results.

ID	Query	Solution	Rankings w/ WordNet	Ranking w/o WordNet
0	How to change permanently the Search Engine?	Solutions 0	Results 0	Results 0
1	"When closing Firefox windows, I would like a warning before the last window closes."	Solutions 1	Results 1	Results 1
2	"Is there an about:config entry to toggle 'Seach Example.com for ""selected text""' automaticaly switching to the tab it opens?"	Solutions 2	Results 2	Results 2
3	Does this signify compromised https pages that I visit?	Solutions 3	Results 3	Results 3
4	How do I prevent the warning for closing multiple tabs at once from displaying?	Solutions 4	Results 4	Results 4
5	How do I enable pinch to zoom?	Solutions 5	Results 5	Results 5
6	I want to clear download history as soon as download ends	Solutions 6	Results 6	Results 6
7	"Reset ""about:home"" search engine?"	Solutions 7	Results 7	Results 7
8	disable telemetry prompt	Solutions 8	Results 8	Results 8
9	Firefox 16 asks for confirmation for closing other tabs	Solutions 9	Results 9	Results 9
10	External links suddenly open in a new window instead of a tab	Solutions 10	Results 10	Results 10
11	how to reset the address bar so it would work as a google search bar again?	Solutions 11	Results 11	Results 11
12	How do I switch plugins from the default system locale language to the system language?	Solutions 12	Results 12	Results 12
13	How do I make the top sites page store more than 9 sites?	Solutions 13	Results 13	Results 13
14	How do I remove Yahoo as a search engine for wrong written URLs?	Solutions 14	Results 14	Results 14
15	How to enable automatic google search for unknown URL?	Solutions 15	Results 15	Results 15
16	"How do I disable the new built-in PDF viewer, but still be able to use the Adobe in-browser PDF viewer?"	Solutions 16	Results 16	Results 16
17	Automatically Opening New Tab with advertisement website	Solutions 17	Results 17	Results 17
18	Firefox 17.0 doesn't warn me when closing multiple tabs any more	Solutions 18	Results 18	Results 18
19	I can't clear or move my cache	Solutions 19	Results 19	Results 19
20	How can I change the home page	Solutions 20	Results 20	Results 20
21	How do I turn the new tab page off?	Solutions 21	Results 21	Results 21
22	Firefox crashes when downloaded files are checked by virus scan	Solutions 22	Results 22	Results 22
23	How do I set print margins in Firefox 17 on Linux?	Solutions 23	Results 23	Results 23
24	how do I make Firefox pass a right click through to the page instead of intercepting it and displaying the Firefox context menu?	Solutions 24	Results 24	Results 24
25	How do I keep the autocomplete function switched off	Solutions 25	Results 25	Results 25
26	I would like a blank new tab to open	Solutions 26	Results 26	Results 26
27	how do I put tabs below the address bar?	Solutions 27	Results 27	Results 27
28	How do you get the back button to refresh the page	Solutions 28	Results 28	Results 28
29	"How can I disable this feature that makes the delete key perform the same function as the ""back arrow""."	Solutions 29	Results 29	Results 29
30	Set URL connection timeout Windows 7	Solutions 30	Results 30	Results 30
31	Need to restore the feature of most visited sites shown upon opening a new tab	Solutions 31	Results 31	Results 31
32	How to change font size on a mobile website?	Solutions 32	Results 32	Results 32
33	How do I put tabs back on bottom like they used to be?	Solutions 33	Results 33	Results 33
34	"How to change the number of ""windows recently closed"" that appear in ""Historic"" menu?"	Solutions 34	Results 34	Results 34
35	Disable pop-up from mouse click	Solutions 35	Results 35	Results 35
36	how to stop plugin update notifications	Solutions 36	Results 36	Results 36
37	How do I stop text in my browser from becoming pixelated?	Solutions 37	Results 37	Results 37
38	Can you tell me how I can put tabs BELOW the bookmarks toolbar in firefox 16.0.2 for Mac?	Solutions 38	Results 38	Results 38
39	Is there a way to alter the scrolling speed with Smooth Scrolling enabled?	Solutions 39	Results 39	Results 39
40	How i can open that page in the same tabe??	Solutions 40	Results 40	Results 40
41	Please check why Firefox is unable to display PDFs	Solutions 41	Results 41	Results 41
42	How can I disable the scroll 'deceleration' that occurs when reaching the bottom (or top) of a page?	Solutions 42	Results 42	Results 42
43	how to set new tab page to blank	Solutions 43	Results 43	Results 43
44	how to change the page that appears when i open the new tab page using the + sign on tab bar?	Solutions 44	Results 44	Results 44
45	How do I set cache to always reload a page?	Solutions 45	Results 45	Results 45
46	How to disable the pinch to zoom feature?	Solutions 46	Results 46	Results 46
47	How to de-select the 'Tabs on Top' option on Firefox 17.0.1 - Feature removed?	Solutions 47	Results 47	Results 47
48	How do I enable Three Finger Swipe for Back/Forward navigation on Firefox?	Solutions 48	Results 48	Results 48
49	"When I click on a link, I want the tab to open at the far right. How can I do this?"	Solutions 49	Results 49	Results 49
50	How to configure the App tabs to load websites just when the page is selected?	Solutions 50	Results 50	Results 50
51	Is there anyway not to have to DL the Mozilla pdf reader?	Solutions 51	Results 51	Results 51
52	"How do I decrease the number of suggestions in the ""Awesome Bar""?"	Solutions 52	Results 52	Results 52
53	control key (ctrl) and scrolling issue	Solutions 53	Results 53	Results 53
54	how to remove disabled plugin in Firefox	Solutions 54	Results 54	Results 54
55	Back Up bookmarks	Solutions 55	Results 55	Results 55
56	How do I turn off the pop up blocker notification?	Solutions 56	Results 56	Results 56
57	How to stop Firefox from reloading inactive tabs when I switch to them?	Solutions 57	Results 57	Results 57
58	I would like to open highlighted phrases in a new tab while staying in the tab I'm reading.	Solutions 58	Results 58	Results 58
59	How do I make Google my default search engine when I switch tabs?	Solutions 59	Results 59	Results 59
60	How do I make Firefox not open the homepage in new windows?	Solutions 60	Results 60	Results 60
61	how do i change the home page on tabs?	Solutions 61	Results 61	Results 61
62	"?I want, when I run the program see thumbnail (new tab) but run a blank page without thumbnail"	Solutions 62	Results 62	Results 62
63	how do i turn off smart address bar	Solutions 63	Results 63	Results 63
64	"Firefox 16.0.2 - I do NOT want ""Tabs on Top"";"	Solutions 64	Results 64	Results 64
65	How do i remove ask search from firefox?	Solutions 65	Results 65	Results 65
66	Mouse wheel scroll speed is too slow	Solutions 66	Results 66	Results 66
67	"How do I delete the automatic ""saved in my profile bookmarks"" forever and disable this daily bookmark backup taking place daily"	Solutions 67	Results 67	Results 67
68	tabs in title bar	Solutions 68	Results 68	Results 68
69	How to switch off font blurring?	Solutions 69	Results 69	Results 69
70	How do I get my Foxit Reader plug in to work automatically without having to click on activate plug-in	Solutions 70	Results 70	Results 70
71	how to set new tab to my home pagein Firefox 18	Solutions 71	Results 71	Results 71
72	How do I turn off the prompt to launch in safe mode?	Solutions 72	Results 72	Results 72
73	How do I turn off the prompt to launch in safe mode?	Solutions 73	Results 73	Results 73
74	How do I make a new tab open to a Mozilla start page?	Solutions 74	Results 74	Results 74
75	How to set up Firefox so tabs are on the bottom line of the tool bar.	Solutions 75	Results 75	Results 75
76	How to Stop Firefox 18 From Restoring the Previous Session After a Crash	Solutions 76	Results 76	Results 76
77	how to make firefox remember password?	Solutions 77	Results 77	Results 77
78	how do I get google to be my default search engine on my home page	Solutions 78	Results 78	Results 78
79	"when i open a new tab, how do i ensure that it shows the new tab layout ?"	Solutions 79	Results 79	Results 79
80	i want firefox to log off sites automatically when i close firefox.	Solutions 80	Results 80	Results 80
81	Can i get my tabs to open to my homepage url as with internet explorer?	Solutions 81	Results 81	Results 81
82	How do I make a new tab open to a Mozilla start page?	Solutions 82	Results 82	Results 82
83	"How do I make ""downloads"" separate from History"" ?"	Solutions 83	Results 83	Results 83
84	how do i restore the new tab with all the windows in it?	Solutions 84	Results 84	Results 84
85	how do I set google as my default search engine	Solutions 85	Results 85	Results 85
86	How do I get a new tab to automatically open showing the google search page?	Solutions 86	Results 86	Results 86
87	How do I stop Firefox 15.0 from asking to update version every day?	Solutions 87	Results 87	Results 87
88	How to make download window open to front	Solutions 88	Results 88	Results 88
89	How do i stop the new tabs from automatically redirecting any address i type in to ask seach?	Solutions 89	Results 89	Results 89
90	How do I reposition the navigation toolbar	Solutions 90	Results 90	Results 90
91	How do you change the home page of a tab?	Solutions 91	Results 91	Results 91
92	How do I choose my homepage to appear when opening a new tab instead of the frequently visited websites which appear by default?	Solutions 92	Results 92	Results 92
93	How to disable pdf viewer?	Solutions 93	Results 93	Results 93
94	Is there some way of making Firefox show the file in the download window after downloading it?	Solutions 94	Results 94	Results 94
95	Can I change search engine when typing in address bar?	Solutions 95	Results 95	Results 95
96	How to set Home Page as Bookmarks Firefox 10	Solutions 96	Results 96	Results 96
97	How do I get rid of unwanted social API in Firefox ?	Solutions 97	Results 97	Results 97
98	HOW CAN I GET NEW LINKS TO OPEN IN THE EXISTING TAB?	Solutions 98	Results 98	Results 98
99	How do I activate the new tab feature that shows a dozen favorite web pages?	Solutions 99	Results 99	Results 99