On implementing timing-accurate computer-based experiments

A recent study tested the timing accuracy of several software solutions to implement computer-based experiments (Bridges et al. 2020). We discuss some conceptual and implementation issues in an attempt to bring more general awareness to what implementing timing-accurate experiments crucially relies on: (1) familiarizing oneself with the basic principles of stimulus presentation as well as the specifics of the used experiment control software, and (2) understanding that timing accuracy estimates should never be understood as a hard promise to simply rely on without additional verification in a specific lab setting. We believe that the raised issues should be considered in a discussion on how software for computer-based experiments should be tested.