In the field of testing, there are many ideas and movements, some of which have formed into schools. But there is really no universally accepted standard for what testing is and how it should be performed. The attempts to establish such a standard (such as the infamous ISO 29119) are met with either ice-cold indifference … continue reading
Mozilla has open-sourced node-firefox, a collection of Node.js modules to help developers create Firefox OS apps. The modules allow developers to interact with Firefox using Mozilla’s DevTools remote protocol in their already existing Node.js tool chains, but through Mozilla’s WebIDE tool in a more terminal-based experience. Each module performs a different task in a separate … continue reading
The debate on test automation has always been fascinating to me. Huge supporters and practitioners of exploratory testing and other manual testing efforts have often been quick to voice their skepticism of those who touted automation as a golden ticket to “better” testing results. Those on the other side of the fence have wondered how … continue reading
Making the case for version control, testing environments and continuous integration when it comes to software development these days is a no brainer. But when it comes to the data behind your important applications, life-cycle management and data flow automation are still new ideas struggling to find their place in the market. That doesn’t mean, … continue reading
Far too many people on the autism spectrum are unable to find meaningful jobs. About 85% of people with this poorly understood disorder in the United States are either unemployed or underemployed, according to the advocacy organization Autism Speaks. One of the many reasons that people on the spectrum are unable to land a job … continue reading
Software teams are expected to deliver high-quality software in ever-shorter timeframes, but in practice release speed or quality usually suffers. When release speed is the primary driver, testing may be compromised or a subset of planned features may be released. When quality is the main goal, the release schedule may slip. In today’s increasingly mobile … continue reading
Intense focus, sharp memory and pattern recognition are some of the traits that a great software tester has to have. It so happens that those traits are prominent in individuals on the autism spectrum. Autism is a term used to describe complex disorders of brain development, and a person with autism often experiences difficulties with … continue reading
Malicious agents can crash a website by implementing a DDoS—a Distributed Denial of Service Attack—against a server. So can sloppy programmers. Take, for example, the National Weather Service’s website, which is operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. On August 29, the service went down, hard, as single rogue Android … continue reading
Testing is a means to an end. The ultimate goal is to produce quality software regardless of the methods, techniques or philosophies a tester uses to achieve it. But that hasn’t stopped testers from arguing about it. Loudly. The ISO 29119 software testing standard (and the ensuing Stop 29119 petition) have stirred up a contentious … continue reading
The world of software testing has always been a mishmash of ideologies and methodologies. A diverse worldwide testing community has adjusted and innovated techniques independent of any unified set of standards, sharing philosophies and ideas but not common practices. ISO 29119 aims to change all that, and in the process has set the testing world … continue reading
Test early and test often is a mantra every tester these days is familiar with, but with the advent of mobile and methodologies such as DevOps and agile, testing can get lost. “Organizations are expected to put code out faster, and there are pressures to do that, said Kyle Cochran, vice president of product management … continue reading
Apple’s iOS 8 is here, and it will be a game-changer. No operating system on the planet gets adopted faster than a new iOS release. If iOS 7 was any indication (60% of users upgraded just a few days after release), iOS 8 may set new records. Even before worrying about adding new capabilities to … continue reading
