Customer Reviews (case 22515)

[jarvis24]

DirectRT has the potential to simplify the life of any experimenter. As a researcher with no experience in computer programming, but with some complicated experimental requirements, DirectRT has been an invaluable tool for me. It offers great flexibility and precise control, via an intuitive Windows-based interface. Various types of experiments, from ratings of pictorial stimuli to response times of verbal stimuli, can easily be conducted either independently or simultaneously. Learning to use DirectRT is simple and quick. I had programmed my first experiment within 2 or 3 hours of installing the software on my lab computers. The instruction manual is comprehensive, including several easy-to-grasp tutorials, and the experiments can actually be programmed in the familiar Microsoft Excel environment. Technical support from the folks at Empirisoft is speedy, excellent, and personalized--when I encountered a problem I didn't know how to solve, they worked with me to create a solution. And finally, the data are saved in a well-organized manner that facilitates immediate analysis. I do not hesitate to recommend DirectRT to experimenters at all levels of experience.

Zachary Estes,
University of Georgia

[jarvis24]

I am a clinical psychology Ph.D. student, but my interests often require methodology outside of my area of expertise. For my dissertation study, I wanted to create a new Implicit Assumption Task (IAT), but I was daunted by the required programming that I had seen in other software packages. I downloaded a trial version of DirectRT and was amazed at how quickly I was able to get an experiment up and running. DirectRT decreased the amount of time it took to set up my dissertation study substantially, and has provided reliable and accurate data recording throughout my data collection. Any time that I encountered difficulties, they were quickly addressed by Empirisoft (actually, it's more accurate to say immediately, given the fast support turnaround). I would recommend DirectRT to anyone in cognitive/social psychology, but would even more strongly recommend it to those in other areas who have avoided data collection methods that require precision and accurate timing.

Bryan Cochran,
University of Washington

[jcallaire]

[edited for kindness by moderator :]
I just started using DirectRT and MediaLab this month, and all I have to say is I love them. If you are using ******* or some other program go throw it in the garbage and buy these programs. You will not be sorry.

Jason Allaire
NC-State

[David McFarlane]

After all the glowing reports above, a note of dissent is in order. Let's see if Empirisoft dares to keep this in here.

Shortcomings of DirectRT include:

• Cannot do loops. E.g., cannot repeat a stimulus or trial an indefinite number of times until the subject gives a correct response (see forum threads support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=975, support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=698).
• Cannot do arithmetic. E.g., cannot halve a stimulus parameter on response success, and double it on failure, in order to derive a threshold value. (And do not even imagine using anything like Maximum Likelihood Estimation for adjusting stimulus parameters during the experiment.)
• Cannot process strings.
• Cannot draw. E.g., cannot draw a circle of arbitrary diameter calculated during the experiment.
• Cannot stop sound playback once started (User's Guide 3.12, p. 30).
• Displays a blank, black screen during every intertrial interval (see forum thread support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=37).

Shortcomings aside, DirectRT clearly remains a superior platform for a select class of experimental psychology researchers engaged in a select subset of psychological work. But for many others, DirectRT will not do at all. Fortunately, plenty of other products will. Despite the banner on Empirisoft's web site, DirectRT is *not* THE way to do computer research. If your experimental designs by their nature entail any sort of computational complexity, you will need to look beyond DirectRT.

David McFarlane, Systems Designer
Dept. Psychology, Michigan State University

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer or anyone else associated with me.)

[jarvis24]

David, thanks for taking the time to provide a thoughtful review. And although I altered the formatting here and there, your review has not been censored in any way. Fwiw, we are working on adding the kinds of features you have mentioned--all great ideas. And thanks for the kind words--I did find them!!

[sanspeur]

I have been using DirectRT and MediaLab for several experiments, and I have had a very positive experience. Thank you for putting together these excellent pieces of software. The main thing that stands out to me is the intuitive interface (particularly for MediaLab) combined with flexibility and functionality. I hope to continue using your products for many more years. Thank you!

[shomam]

Overall, I have been quite impressed with MediaLab. I have only had experience with one other software package for conducting experiments (xxxxxxxxx) and I have to say that MediaLab is a much more sophisticated software package and extremely user friendly. http://#e##o#.com

[Note from moderator: With some regret, The URL here has been edited and the poster has been banned for spam content. But with some joy, the post will remain. After years of deleting 1000's of spam posts this is the first I've ever seen where the spammer was so polite as to actually include (ok, plagiarize) a positive review of MediaLab. Thank you Shomam--if only all SPAM were as pleasant as yours ]