Re: Interactive program testing

Hi Dave

This sounds like regression testing, where the operations of an entire application are tested when changes are made. This is because a new feature or a fix can affect things outside the narrow focus of the change.

It is very typical to focus only on the new feature or change - of course, setting up a regression test is a really big task for an application of any complexity. And it probably needs some tools to help automate the process.

So is regression testing the reason for the new rules? If so, it's not a bad thing - but it does take longer to add or change something.

I don't know how to set up all this - I hope there is a balance somewhere. That one starts with unit testing, trying to find the possible side effects.

Can you imagine the scope of testing efforts at IBM that are related to the i5/OS? They have to add new features to scripts, etc. I'm aware of some of this from the periphery. But it's one of the reasons we trust this system so much.

If this IS what I think - your company should have a separate group doing this testing - it shouldn't be you that runs the entire test suite. If something is broken because of a change, then it will come back to you, but you are able to work on other things in the meanwhile.

At least I hope that is the plan!!

Good luck!
Vern

On 4/2/2012 6:32 AM, Dave wrote:

Thanks, all

Perhaps I should have said why I was asking. We didn't used to use a test
library for the interactif part. This was not a big problem for me as I
tried to externalise as much of the logic as possible. Now, test librairies
have become compulsory for an interactif program. Which means if I make the
slightest modification to a huge monolith, I will have to get out the huge
corresponding folder containing the photocopies of the 5250 screens and
then go from the start to the finish in the right order and test everything
in the monolith. And no point in trying to rush it, the slightest mistake
and you have to start over again. The cost of development has thus gone up
overnight! I wonder though if we could benefit from this rule to encourage
people to make smaller programs.