Comments on: Please stop the fiction http://www.eviltester.com/index.php/2008/01/20/please-stop-the-fiction/ A different view of software testing Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:12:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Martin L. Shoemaker http://www.eviltester.com/index.php/2008/01/20/please-stop-the-fiction/#comment-1176 Martin L. Shoemaker Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:24:09 +0000 http://www.eviltester.com/?p=9#comment-1176 But aren't your Evil Tester comics -- which I love, by the way -- using fiction to teach a lesson? (And are there comics in your book? Is there something for analysts/architects/programmers in your book, or is it just for Evil Testers?) I have a strong interest in your opinion. I found your site after a guy on Twitter saw my UML comic, http://www.UlteriorMotiveLounge.com, and asked if Evil Tester there was based on yours. (He's not, but clearly great minds think alike, and I'll be adding an update that says you were there first.) Having read several posts, I like your common sense and your experience and skill when it comes to testing. I want lots of Evil Testers attacking my code. Because my strip uses fictional characters to teach software design, I'm curious if your dislike extends to comics. I also have a nearly completed book on requirements analysis. The remaining chapter is a "how do you use this" chapter, that pretty much exactly fits the mold of what you hate. If you can convince me that fiction in tech books is bad, I can cut that chapter, and finally finish the book! So I have a real interest in your opinions here. I hope you can find time to respond. <em>Hi Martin, Thanks for the comment. Own*My*Petard*Hoisted. :) I never actually made a connection between fiction and comics. I love comics. The two seem so entirely different that I fully endorse and encourage teaching through comics. I love the Asiapac english translations for the Chinese Wisdom classics "The Art of War" and Lao Tzu. And I still read far too many comics, although I now get them out of the library rather than blowing my entire income on the addictive thin papery things. My biggest issue with fiction - I can't stand, what I consider, badly written fiction, and I find the point the writer tries to make gets strung out for too long. Comics try to make their point quickly with fewer words. Ramming home the message with a dose of humour and the unexpected. As for your book... Remember that I am the exception. Everyone else I meet seems to love fiction in books. Management fables seem to fly off the shelf. Better Software seems to have "fictionally" illustrated articles every month. Goldratt made a fortune spinning out his principles of constraint into a novel. I would say: <ul> <li>If you can write it well.</li> <li>If it could pass as 'real' fiction. </li> <li>If the message behind what you have to say comes across better as fiction than in 3 bullet points illustrated by real life examples.</li> </ul> Then go for it. Ignore me. I'll just skim the chapter, ransacking it for goodness, ignoring your carefully crafted prose, and scanning for stick men illustrations. <strong>Seriously. Write it the way that works for you. Ignore me. Ignore everyone else. You know what message you need to convey. You decide how best to convey it.</strong> And for any connoisseur of Stick Man comics - check out <a href="http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/notavailable/archives.shtml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Matt Feazell </a>with his wonderful Cynicalman comics. I remember picking up an original edition of the tiny (and I think self published) AntiSocial Man back in the early 90s.</em> But aren’t your Evil Tester comics — which I love, by the way — using fiction to teach a lesson? (And are there comics in your book? Is there something for analysts/architects/programmers in your book, or is it just for Evil Testers?)

I have a strong interest in your opinion. I found your site after a guy on Twitter saw my UML comic, http://www.UlteriorMotiveLounge.com, and asked if Evil Tester there was based on yours. (He’s not, but clearly great minds think alike, and I’ll be adding an update that says you were there first.) Having read several posts, I like your common sense and your experience and skill when it comes to testing. I want lots of Evil Testers attacking my code.

Because my strip uses fictional characters to teach software design, I’m curious if your dislike extends to comics. I also have a nearly completed book on requirements analysis. The remaining chapter is a “how do you use this” chapter, that pretty much exactly fits the mold of what you hate. If you can convince me that fiction in tech books is bad, I can cut that chapter, and finally finish the book!

So I have a real interest in your opinions here. I hope you can find time to respond.

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the comment.

Own*My*Petard*Hoisted. :)

I never actually made a connection between fiction and comics. I love comics. The two seem so entirely different that I fully endorse and encourage teaching through comics.

I love the Asiapac english translations for the Chinese Wisdom classics “The Art of War” and Lao Tzu. And I still read far too many comics, although I now get them out of the library rather than blowing my entire income on the addictive thin papery things.

My biggest issue with fiction - I can’t stand, what I consider, badly written fiction, and I find the point the writer tries to make gets strung out for too long.

Comics try to make their point quickly with fewer words. Ramming home the message with a dose of humour and the unexpected.

As for your book… Remember that I am the exception. Everyone else I meet seems to love fiction in books. Management fables seem to fly off the shelf. Better Software seems to have “fictionally” illustrated articles every month. Goldratt made a fortune spinning out his principles of constraint into a novel.

I would say:

  • If you can write it well.
  • If it could pass as ‘real’ fiction.
  • If the message behind what you have to say comes across better as fiction than in 3 bullet points illustrated by real life examples.

Then go for it.

Ignore me. I’ll just skim the chapter, ransacking it for goodness, ignoring your carefully crafted prose, and scanning for stick men illustrations.

Seriously. Write it the way that works for you. Ignore me. Ignore everyone else. You know what message you need to convey. You decide how best to convey it.

And for any connoisseur of Stick Man comics - check out Matt Feazell with his wonderful Cynicalman comics. I remember picking up an original edition of the tiny (and I think self published) AntiSocial Man back in the early 90s.

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