Why is proper software testing challenging? - Software-Testing

>Why is proper software testing challenging? I found this from my
>experience,. How do others find it and why?

I see you got a lot of homework questions this week.

Wayne Woodruff
http://www.jtan.com/~wayne

Though I find it like a typical home work or Interview question - I am
being tempted to answer...

First of all, I am not sure what is "proper" or "improper" testing? Did
you mean - "Adequate" or "Inadequate" ( even in this case - from whose
perspective?)

Omitting the word "proper", my views on why testing is challenging are
as follows ---

1. Testing activity got to consider nearly infinite domain of
possibilities. When compared with development - testing works with
unbounded space and need to think of ways in which a system or a
problem can be tackled.

2. Testing has direct bearing or basis/roots in questioning and
reasoning. Testers need to understand how things work the way they
work.

3. Testing in plain flavor is nothing but "structured thinking" about a
problem. It often takes shape of exploration of unknown territory. For
those who like it - such explorations can be very challenging and fun
too.

If we probe the word "Challenging" - we could expand this discussion
further ---
Is the word challenging synonymous with "Tough", "Tricky", "Takes
time", "Can not be done by everybody" - depending upon to which synonym
your definition of challenge is close to, you can come up with further
reasons why testing is challenging.

you can also think like challenging for whom? The work of putting shoes
could be challenging to a kid where as it is not so for an adult with
no physical disabilities.

you can go on and on and ON ....

Testing is a journey not a destination - when you think you have
arrived, you have only complete exploring a part of the problem, probe
around, you will be off to yet another fascinating exploration - that
is testing, that is challenging and FUN

Shrini

http://shrinik.blogspot.com

puzzlecracker wrote:
> Why is proper software testing challenging? I found this from my
> experience,. How do others find it and why?

I found this from my experience as well.

strazzerj{}netscape.net wrote:
> puzzlecracker wrote:
> > Why is proper software testing challenging? I found this from my
> > experience,. How do others find it and why?
>
> I found this from my experience as well.

awesome, why don't share what aspects did you find challenging, how
did you cope with them?
What kind of testing did you perfom?

>awesome, why don't share what aspects did you find challenging, how did you cope with them?

I wonder why YOU, puzzlecracker, don't share the aspects that you found
challenging, how you coped with them, and what kind of testing your
performed.

---Michael B.

Michael Bolton wrote:
> >awesome, why don't share what aspects did you find challenging, how did you cope with them?
>
> I wonder why YOU, puzzlecracker, don't share the aspects that you found
> challenging, how you coped with them, and what kind of testing your
> performed.
>
> ---Michael B.
Why don't you, putative Bolton?

puzzlecracker wrote:
> Michael Bolton wrote:
> > >awesome, why don't share what aspects did you find challenging, how did you cope with them?
> >
> > I wonder why YOU, puzzlecracker, don't share the aspects that you found
> > challenging, how you coped with them, and what kind of testing your
> > performed.
> >
> > ---Michael B.

> Why don't you, putative Bolton?

First, I do this regularly in this forum anyway. Even a casual reader
who was genuinely interested in researching this topic could read my
points of view on the subject here, on my Web site, and in several
other places.

Second, I didn't solicit the initial input; you did, and if you want
conversation, my understanding is that this forum isn't read-only for
you, write-only for the rest of us.

Third, I have every reason to suspect that this is a homework
assignment (others suspect the same), and I'm not particularly
interested in doing that for you.

And by the by, I'm brave enough not to be hiding behind a pseudonym.

---Michael B.

Knowing Michael, personally, I can vouch for him - his credablity as
Testing expert and coach is unquestionable. Michael or for that matter
any of forum members dont have obligation to answer questions posted in
this forum. Your question needs to ignite the minds of people here to
make them speak. Michael and many of his colleagues are "Gurus" for my
software testing professionals all around. Believe me, his reactions
"What do you think?" is a pointer to you to think and put your thoughts
then ask for views. Dont feel offended by it.

Go to www.developsense.com and/Or go to www.stickyminds.com and search
for "Micheal Bolton" - to know the level of knowledge that Michael
has.

An unwritten rule in this forum is - one or two liners will be shot
down like this or not given any attention. Before putting any question,
you got to do your homework, show that you have some opinion or
viewpoint of your own. Then ask for help from forum - I sure you will
get good response. Dont treat this forum as "gini" or universal
answering machine - you thorough any 1 liner and you will exhaustive 2
pager reply with examples and code samples. make sure your question has
some learning for others.

Shrini
http://shrinik.blogspot,com

Shrinik wrote:
> Knowing Michael, personally, I can vouch for him - his credablity as
> Testing expert and coach is unquestionable. Michael or for that matter
> any of forum members dont have obligation to answer questions posted in
> this forum. Your question needs to ignite the minds of people here to
> make them speak. Michael and many of his colleagues are "Gurus" for my
> software testing professionals all around. Believe me, his reactions
> "What do you think?" is a pointer to you to think and put your thoughts
> then ask for views. Dont feel offended by it.
>
> Go to www.developsense.com and/Or go to www.stickyminds.com and search
> for "Micheal Bolton" - to know the level of knowledge that Michael
> has.
>
> An unwritten rule in this forum is - one or two liners will be shot
> down like this or not given any attention. Before putting any question,
> you got to do your homework, show that you have some opinion or
> viewpoint of your own. Then ask for help from forum - I sure you will
> get good response. Dont treat this forum as "gini" or universal
> answering machine - you thorough any 1 liner and you will exhaustive 2
> pager reply with examples and code samples. make sure your question has
> some learning for others.
>
> Shrini
> http://shrinik.blogspot,com

fair enough.