Died and Gone to Software Testing Hell
I don’t normally post stories about the supernatural here on the uTest blog. That’s really more of an in-the-wild type of topic. But seeing how today is Halloween, I figured what the hell…
This story was sent to me by a tester who recently had a near-death experience. After filing a bug report, he was instructed by the developer to “unplug the computer, and then plug it back in again.” In doing so, he electrocuted himself. Tragic. The lesson here: testers report bugs, they should never try to fix them.
Anyway, while he laid there (technically dead for several minutes) his soul briefly entered the realm of eternal punishment, otherwise known as software testing hell. Here is how he described it:
- All software must be bug-free in IE6
- Your homepage is the blue screen of death
- You can escape hell by reporting one valid bug, unfortunately all bugs are features in software testing hell
- All code is written in the “Boo” programming language and testers are required to be proficient
- Test cases are literally written in stone
- Developers are right about everything and you must laugh at all their jokes
- Testers must work to Eddie Money’s Ready Eddie album for all eternity
- Wi-Fi kicks you off every few minutes and you have to re-enter the password every time
- The Wi-Fi password is 4,000 A’s and a 1
- There’s a shortage of computer mice, so you have to use the track thing on the keyboard
- Agile testing involves dodging knives
- SCRUM meetings involve actual wrestling
- Requirements change by the time you finish reading them
- White box testing is done inside an actual white box
- Mutation testing involves testing with actual mutants (not the cool X Men kind either)
- And in software testing hell, bugs hunt you!
Have you been to software testing hell? Be sure to share your experience in the comments section. Oh, and Happy Halloween!
P.S. – The tester eventually came back to life.
>> All software must be bug-free in IE6
Many people did this. IE6 is cool software! (in comparing to IE5.5)
>> Your homepage is the blue screen of death
Well, nothing is perfect in this world
>> You can escape hell by reporting one valid bug, unfortunately all bugs are features in software testing hell
At least we have a detailed specification. When the tester writes a bug – he/she specifies how the feature should work. This is BDD: Bug-Driven Development.
>> All code is written in the “Boo” programming language and testers are required to be proficient
This language is Python-like and we all know that the Python language is very clear and understandable.
>> Test cases are literally written in stone
That’s a nice visualization! More important tests are written on big stones, the less important aremacadam
>> Developers are right about everything and you must laugh at all their jokes
Yes that is really funny that developers think they are right about everything (LOL; irony)
>> Testers must work to Eddie Money’s Ready Eddie album for all eternity
It has 11 songs. It is not so bad to listen 1 song per 11/∞
>> Wi-Fi kicks you off every few minutes and you have to re-enter the password every time
Yes, we can create some script using wget to send the wifi login information every few minutes
>> The Wi-Fi password is 4,000 A’s and a 1
Not a problem
>> There’s a shortage of computer mice, so you have to use the track thing on the keyboard
You can control your mouse using the Num-pad. It’s built-in feature in Windows. And study the keyboard shortcuts.
>> Agile testing involves dodging knives
I think I’ll be able to throw the knife back
>> SCRUM meetings involve actual wrestling
At least it is less boring and I can bet some money.
>> Requirements change by the time you finish reading them
Not a problem. When I write a bug – it will become a feature. So I will write the requirements anyway.
>> White box testing is done inside an actual white box
Sometimes it is very nice to have some personal space just to concentrate on the problem without the distractions
>> Mutation testing involves testing with actual mutants (not the cool X Men kind either)
You can get used to this. After all, the autopsists are having lunch at the morgue
>> And in software testing hell, bugs hunt you!
Only the S T R O N G E S T will survive!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V44T8jAawWI
Awesome response Dmitry. I guess Software Testing Hell is not so bad after all.