Comments on: Software Testing, A Funny Business

By: Murali

Murali — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:05:08 +0000

I’m new to bloggong & My blog is about basics of Software Testing,Manual Testing,SDLC,Testing Techniques,Levels of Testing,Types of Testing,Test Planning,Test Execution,Test Development,Bug Tracking,Result Analysis,Test Design Techniques and QTP. so I write about that which I know.Give it a visit if you get a chance..
feel to free to visit:http://softwaretesting-guide.blogspot.com/
Regards,
Murali

By: Shrini k

Shrini k — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:03:22 +0000

Alan excellent Post .. I must say .... thanks for writing ... The cycle of learning-experimenting-unlearning(making your own model) is a very interesting concept ... write more on it as you discover .... The process or unlearning and disowing (if were allowed to say so) the authority ... is even more interesting ... I would say that when you reach a stage where "realise" the need for unlearning and becoming your own guru - making models and concepts - you have reached a state of "equlibrium" or "steady state". I would not call it as mature state .. but it is a "stop" over during a long journey of learning ... Thanks Shrini Thanks Shrini, Your last paragraph triggered a memory of a phrase in Lao Tse. (I've quoted a publicly , available translation so anyone can see the context and luxuriate in its ambiguity for themselves.)

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.

In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.

from Chapter 48 of the Tao Te King And I particularly like Crowley's translation of Chapter 49

The wise man hath no fixed principle; he adapteth his mind to his environment

By: Phil Kirkham

Phil Kirkham — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:50:46 +0000

I’ve read a lot of different books from fighter pilots to doctors looking for ideas to use in testing, never thought about comedians. Until now that is – great post, thanks !

Wonder what I could learn from Bernard Manning…

Hi Phil, :)

I don’t think I can quote any lessons from Bernard Manning here, I want this to rate as a family site :)

By: Gav

Gav — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:53:21 +0000

Reading this reminds me of the song by Michael Jackson: Man in the mirror.

I’m Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

Testing can be a disheartening job, with many factors up against you. Sometimes its not so much funny as a frustrating business.

A lot of the times you will be working in smaller teams, so it will be harder to find more and less experienced testers to learn from. But nevertheless I agree that you will always find something to learn from any tester. If you ever get a chance to learn from someone inspirational don’t let it go and learn as much as you can.

On a final note I totally agree about studying other disciplines and incorporating them. Looking at something from a purely software engineering viewpoint you will only get so far. Looking at it from a different angle you begin to question more and assume less.

Hi Gav, Thanks for leaving a comment.

I’ve used humour over the years, as one strategy to help alleviate frustration.

I justify this approach to myself by adopting the belief that… in each attempt to look at the frustrating situation and find the humour in it, I tax my brain and force it to look at ‘everything’ from multiple angles and that, I think, helps my test analysis.

I recommend drawing silly little cartoons with stick men.

This doesn’t mean that I have become immune to frustration, but I do have a strategy to deal with it… some of the time.

:)

Enjoy,

Alan