I was fortunate to be able to attend a Microsoft Emerging Technologies presentation a couple of days ago. Apparently one of the ISV Architect Evangelists has family in the area and came up to spend Thanksgiving with them. He had met some of our development team at a conference that they attended in the recent past; one thing led to another and he wound up doing this presentation for us. Our QA department was given an option of attending. I jumped at the opportunity to attend. No matter how one feels at times about Microsoft, to me, they have done an extraordinary job of getting the average Joe to develop a daily use of personal computers and software. Since testing software is my passion and pays my bills, I feel like they helped build a bridge for me to get where I am.
The planned presentation was apparently supposed to be development oriented and over-the-heads of most of QA. Turns out that was not the case. To me the gist of the presentation was a Microsoft selling pitch. But, all that aside, I did get a grasp - finally -of what Cloud Computing is all about. I found it both fascinating and frightening at the same time.
Fascinating - the technology has existed for years to actually achieve what Cloud Computing hopes to accomplish (and has already accomplished). What I find frightening is the power that large scale corporations could have if this is used without regard to the same average Joe that has a dependency upon computer technology.
This is worth keeping an eye on for all consumers. I also feel that it is important to keep an eye on the technology changes that are paving the way for these changes as a software tester. It has turned my interest to several areas I may want to study up on in order to be more prepared for the future. These areas are based on the software testing that I currently do (depending upon your area of employment, yours may be different than mine).
There was a bit of information that was exchanged during this presentation that I am not at liberty to discuss due to signed non disclosure agreements. I will say that I believe it is important to continue to educate myself in the latest changes that are taking place in the technologies that surround us.
Since today is Thanksgiving in the US, I would also like to say that I am definitely thankful that I work for a company that values its software testers. Having an option to attend a presentation that was supposed to be development driven is a perfect example of the treatment that our QA department receives from the company that I work for.
For a bit of a background on Cloud Computing and briefs on some possible implications, please see the Wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing.
Followers
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Lesson Learned in Moving
After much ado, I am finally moved into my new home :)
It nearly passes all the specs that I wrote on buying a home in the area:
1. The house will cost less than the appraised value
2. The house will be located in the same town where the owner works (the residents call it a city, but I know better)
3. Work, school, and home will be located in the same town
4. The house will be one story tall
5. The house will have a nice yard
6. The house will be in a quiet neighborhood
7. The house will have enough bedrooms
8. The house will be located in the Bahamas
The house meets seven out of eight of the criteria. And even though it does not meet the eighth item, it does provide me with a new hobby – home decorating. I have already decided to allow my teenage daughter to do as she will with her room. I must be crazy, but what teenager doesn’t want to have a self-designed living space? And my little one will have a room befitting the princess that she is :)
One thing that I did find out while moving here that did not appeal to my customer side, but did appeal to my software testing side was the transfer of my internet/email account.
Apparently the high speed internet company that I use removes your email account from you when you move – even if it is just to the next town in the same state. And, they do not inform you of this activity, unless you ask the right question. What is the right question? “I forgot my password because I set my mail up to remember it and now I cannot log in. Can you help me?”
I was quite annoyed at this. If I moved out of state, I could understand this (the email address includes the state I live in). If I changed internet companies, I could understand this (the email address includes the company name). I moved approximately 13 miles away, in the same state, with the same company – this I do not understand.
I ended up having a “ticket” in to get this resolved. I was told that I would have to wait about a week to have the situation resolved. I did not wait a week. By day two I had my email account fixed back up for me. This did not resolve my issue totally. I have to plan for the future. What if I do move out of state? I have moved to various states in my life so this is not out of the question.
I have decided to begin to investigate a couple of different web based email accounts that I have already. Perhaps I will have to develop a deeper understanding of these. Maybe I will have to learn to trust one of them to be my primary email provider. I doubt that I will trust them, I know too much, but I will have to look into this. It is very difficult to not be able to access email on demand. And these days it does not seem feasible to be able to go without it for very long because so much communication is dependent upon it.
It nearly passes all the specs that I wrote on buying a home in the area:
1. The house will cost less than the appraised value
2. The house will be located in the same town where the owner works (the residents call it a city, but I know better)
3. Work, school, and home will be located in the same town
4. The house will be one story tall
5. The house will have a nice yard
6. The house will be in a quiet neighborhood
7. The house will have enough bedrooms
8. The house will be located in the Bahamas
The house meets seven out of eight of the criteria. And even though it does not meet the eighth item, it does provide me with a new hobby – home decorating. I have already decided to allow my teenage daughter to do as she will with her room. I must be crazy, but what teenager doesn’t want to have a self-designed living space? And my little one will have a room befitting the princess that she is :)
One thing that I did find out while moving here that did not appeal to my customer side, but did appeal to my software testing side was the transfer of my internet/email account.
Apparently the high speed internet company that I use removes your email account from you when you move – even if it is just to the next town in the same state. And, they do not inform you of this activity, unless you ask the right question. What is the right question? “I forgot my password because I set my mail up to remember it and now I cannot log in. Can you help me?”
I was quite annoyed at this. If I moved out of state, I could understand this (the email address includes the state I live in). If I changed internet companies, I could understand this (the email address includes the company name). I moved approximately 13 miles away, in the same state, with the same company – this I do not understand.
I ended up having a “ticket” in to get this resolved. I was told that I would have to wait about a week to have the situation resolved. I did not wait a week. By day two I had my email account fixed back up for me. This did not resolve my issue totally. I have to plan for the future. What if I do move out of state? I have moved to various states in my life so this is not out of the question.
I have decided to begin to investigate a couple of different web based email accounts that I have already. Perhaps I will have to develop a deeper understanding of these. Maybe I will have to learn to trust one of them to be my primary email provider. I doubt that I will trust them, I know too much, but I will have to look into this. It is very difficult to not be able to access email on demand. And these days it does not seem feasible to be able to go without it for very long because so much communication is dependent upon it.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
For the love of books....
Via Grig Gheorghiu
http://agiletesting.blogspot.com/2008/11/phrase-from-nearest-book-meme.html
I could not resist... I love books:
Grab the nearest book.
Open it to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
"May I suggest , sir, that I only recently came off duty?"
THE MOON IS DOWN by John Steinbeck
http://agiletesting.blogspot.com/2008/11/phrase-from-nearest-book-meme.html
I could not resist... I love books:
Grab the nearest book.
Open it to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
"May I suggest , sir, that I only recently came off duty?"
THE MOON IS DOWN by John Steinbeck
Friday, November 7, 2008
The School Debate - My thoughts
I have been reading the recent blogs that are posted in the RSS feed of the Software Testing Club about the Schools of Software Testing. This topic seems to cause real strong feelings in people. Though I understand the fact that there is a debate about it, after all - we are all entitled to our own opinions, I am having a bit a trouble with the results. It has gotten a bit harsh.
Personally, I have no problem with the word school. But I have my own reasons/beliefs for not having issue with the word. I am a lifelong learner. I believe in education and its merits. I also believe in learning about things that I am interested in as much as what I need to know. I would prefer to have knowledge than to live in ignorance. Life and all its experiences is a school.
What is wrong with advertising by word of mouth what your philosophies and beliefs are? If people aren’t sharing what they believe and know with others - how will anyone find what works for them?
Software Testing is diversified people testing diversified products for diversified public or private stakeholders. There is diversity in skill level, knowledge level, philosophies, beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, personalities etc. These diverse individuals work with diverse management and diverse teams of developers.
I believe in the freedom to decide for yourself what works. You cannot decide if the conversations are halted.
When I started in software testing, I had no clue the field even existed. I accidentally fell into it. I found that so many attributes within my personality and thinking styles - which were previously viewed as negative by others and myself based upon the culture I was raised and live in - were exactly what it took to do the job. It was a perfect fit. Because of this fit, I am passionate about my job. Because of the passion I have for the job, I am driven to educate myself constantly. Technology evolves very quickly, so must I.
Behind every software tester, there is a basic set of beliefs, a philosophy, a set of values. It does not matter if the tester recognizes this or not, it is part of human nature, and it is there. To me, the subject of software testing schools is based on being aware of your philosophy and sharing it. Do I agree with every word that every person says about this conversation? No, but I believe in debate (as long as we allow the other person to continue to hold to their belief and are not debating solely to tell someone they are wrong), and I believe in sharing information. Just because it may not be a value to me, it may be to someone else.
I was fortunate to have taken the Rapid Software Testing course (by James Bach and Michael Bolton), and one of the things that Michael Bolton said to our group was (and I paraphrase), “you take what you can use and what works for you and your company.” He was very sure to make the point that these were not tenants of software testing, not rules. This phrase is worth repeating within this writing because it is how I view a lot of blogs that I read, classes that I take, conversations that I have. I take from them what I can use. I am selfish that way.
If I do not like what you are saying, that does not give me the right to say you should shut up. It is up to me to figure out why I am getting so upset about what you are saying. And then it is up to me to decide what, if anything, I should do with that knowledge.
I am a big advocate of the exchange of ideas. And bear in mind that what may seem like an old, worn out conversation to one person is brand new to another. I am also a big advocate of understanding why I believe what I believe. Because of this, I can have a conversation about the last election, hear why others believe what they do, express why I believe what I do when voting, and still walk away from the conversation with my relationship intact.
And now that I am running late……. Gotta go to work.
Personally, I have no problem with the word school. But I have my own reasons/beliefs for not having issue with the word. I am a lifelong learner. I believe in education and its merits. I also believe in learning about things that I am interested in as much as what I need to know. I would prefer to have knowledge than to live in ignorance. Life and all its experiences is a school.
What is wrong with advertising by word of mouth what your philosophies and beliefs are? If people aren’t sharing what they believe and know with others - how will anyone find what works for them?
Software Testing is diversified people testing diversified products for diversified public or private stakeholders. There is diversity in skill level, knowledge level, philosophies, beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, personalities etc. These diverse individuals work with diverse management and diverse teams of developers.
I believe in the freedom to decide for yourself what works. You cannot decide if the conversations are halted.
When I started in software testing, I had no clue the field even existed. I accidentally fell into it. I found that so many attributes within my personality and thinking styles - which were previously viewed as negative by others and myself based upon the culture I was raised and live in - were exactly what it took to do the job. It was a perfect fit. Because of this fit, I am passionate about my job. Because of the passion I have for the job, I am driven to educate myself constantly. Technology evolves very quickly, so must I.
Behind every software tester, there is a basic set of beliefs, a philosophy, a set of values. It does not matter if the tester recognizes this or not, it is part of human nature, and it is there. To me, the subject of software testing schools is based on being aware of your philosophy and sharing it. Do I agree with every word that every person says about this conversation? No, but I believe in debate (as long as we allow the other person to continue to hold to their belief and are not debating solely to tell someone they are wrong), and I believe in sharing information. Just because it may not be a value to me, it may be to someone else.
I was fortunate to have taken the Rapid Software Testing course (by James Bach and Michael Bolton), and one of the things that Michael Bolton said to our group was (and I paraphrase), “you take what you can use and what works for you and your company.” He was very sure to make the point that these were not tenants of software testing, not rules. This phrase is worth repeating within this writing because it is how I view a lot of blogs that I read, classes that I take, conversations that I have. I take from them what I can use. I am selfish that way.
If I do not like what you are saying, that does not give me the right to say you should shut up. It is up to me to figure out why I am getting so upset about what you are saying. And then it is up to me to decide what, if anything, I should do with that knowledge.
I am a big advocate of the exchange of ideas. And bear in mind that what may seem like an old, worn out conversation to one person is brand new to another. I am also a big advocate of understanding why I believe what I believe. Because of this, I can have a conversation about the last election, hear why others believe what they do, express why I believe what I do when voting, and still walk away from the conversation with my relationship intact.
And now that I am running late……. Gotta go to work.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Life and Software Testing should never be boring!
The past month has been full of activity in multiple aspects of my life. Here is a sampling of some of the goings on.
Work: My position has changed. Instead of being the test lead of one application that we take care of in house, I now have three products that I am responsible for the testing of. These products are developed off shore and integrate with multiple programs developed both on site and at a sister facility. My responsibility is for the product and the integration with the applications developed on site where I am employed. The sister facility has a test lead responsible for the same thing with the applications developed at that site.
As it seems to be with all things related to software testing, the change is full of new challenges. Communication has proven to be a bit more challenging as the Product Manager and the development team is not on site. I am a bit spoiled because most of our products are developed and managed in the same building where I work. If I have a question that just cannot wait or want added information about something, I simply take a little walk. For this project there are time differences and limited access to development. I will also be playing “catch up” for a bit because this change took place right before the annual releases of several of our in house products, all of which I play a part of testing on. Time management and prioritization of tasks will be a challenge because of this.
Documentation challenges exist as well. Test plans need developing for each of the products. Test cases, in the form of use cases or scenarios, will need developing in case I am unable to be available for a test cycle and to provide for a regression suite that can be run for each release. This is a new challenge for me. All of my testing is done using Exploratory Testing skills (the foundation of these was laid when I took the Rapid Software Testing course by James Bach and Michael Bolton, constantly developing these skills has led me to be able to be a value to the company I work for when using ET). Documenting test cases is important to the company that I work for and to provide a framework for testers who do not have a level of skill/confidence/knowledge to test the products by exploration. Even though this will be a challenge to me it will provide me with the ability to communicate about the product through writing. This is beneficial in developing communication skills as well as gaining insight as to where there may be holes in my testing. I will attempt to keep up with the challenges of this new position in future blogs.
Learning: I have taken and passed the AST BBST Foundations class. This was both a pleasure and a challenge. The class took place for me during two product releases. A Beta release and an RC release – the End of Day release time for one of the products ended up being 2AM.
I learned a great deal about my strengths and weaknesses through this course. I also met great people from all over the world with different levels of experience. I recommend joining the Association for Software Testing and signing up for the courses. I believe there is value in taking this course regardless of your level of expertise.
I also learned a bit about my associates at work while I was taking this course. Some people were supportive, some think I am a bit too involved with software testing, and of all the people I spoke to about it, only one showed interest in taking the course – my manager. It seems to me that some of the people I work with look at software testing as the “job” they do, others as a “career”, and a select few have a passion about what they do. (Subject for another blog, I suppose.)
I am not going to divulge what goes on in the course, if you want to know you will have to sign up to take it. I will say that I was very glad to have had the opportunity to participate and meet other testers who share a passion for learning about themselves and testing.
Personal: My twenty-one year old daughter will be giving birth to my first grandchild towards the end of March 2009. I am quite excited about this. According to the latest ultra sound, it’s a boy! I have four daughters, so the thought of her having a boy is a nice little change that adds to the excitement.
I am also in the process of trying to buy a house. This is a challenge no matter who you are. For a little over 2 years now, we have lived in an apartment. Two of my girls are still living at home and they want to experience decorating their own rooms (this could be interesting), having their own yard, and the youngest shares a passion for dogs like myself. Apartment living does not allow for any of these desires. We are hoping to move closer to where I work as well. Currently the girls go to school in the town we live, and I travel 20 minutes in the summer - 40 minutes in the winter, to get to and from work. To have all things in the same town would be great. And I would not have to travel through what I refer to as “Moose Alley” any more. This is a stretch of road between the town I live and the town I work where you are almost guaranteed to see one of these prehistoric horses either on your way into work or on your way home, especially in the Fall and Spring. This sounds fascinating to people who don’t live here, but it is quite dangerous and potentially lethal to have one of these beasts step out in the road in front of your car.
In conclusion, the activities of the recent weeks have been both challenging and exciting. I am looking forward to the subset of changes, challenges, excitement, and learning opportunities coming my way. Life and Software Testing should never be boring!
Work: My position has changed. Instead of being the test lead of one application that we take care of in house, I now have three products that I am responsible for the testing of. These products are developed off shore and integrate with multiple programs developed both on site and at a sister facility. My responsibility is for the product and the integration with the applications developed on site where I am employed. The sister facility has a test lead responsible for the same thing with the applications developed at that site.
As it seems to be with all things related to software testing, the change is full of new challenges. Communication has proven to be a bit more challenging as the Product Manager and the development team is not on site. I am a bit spoiled because most of our products are developed and managed in the same building where I work. If I have a question that just cannot wait or want added information about something, I simply take a little walk. For this project there are time differences and limited access to development. I will also be playing “catch up” for a bit because this change took place right before the annual releases of several of our in house products, all of which I play a part of testing on. Time management and prioritization of tasks will be a challenge because of this.
Documentation challenges exist as well. Test plans need developing for each of the products. Test cases, in the form of use cases or scenarios, will need developing in case I am unable to be available for a test cycle and to provide for a regression suite that can be run for each release. This is a new challenge for me. All of my testing is done using Exploratory Testing skills (the foundation of these was laid when I took the Rapid Software Testing course by James Bach and Michael Bolton, constantly developing these skills has led me to be able to be a value to the company I work for when using ET). Documenting test cases is important to the company that I work for and to provide a framework for testers who do not have a level of skill/confidence/knowledge to test the products by exploration. Even though this will be a challenge to me it will provide me with the ability to communicate about the product through writing. This is beneficial in developing communication skills as well as gaining insight as to where there may be holes in my testing. I will attempt to keep up with the challenges of this new position in future blogs.
Learning: I have taken and passed the AST BBST Foundations class. This was both a pleasure and a challenge. The class took place for me during two product releases. A Beta release and an RC release – the End of Day release time for one of the products ended up being 2AM.
I learned a great deal about my strengths and weaknesses through this course. I also met great people from all over the world with different levels of experience. I recommend joining the Association for Software Testing and signing up for the courses. I believe there is value in taking this course regardless of your level of expertise.
I also learned a bit about my associates at work while I was taking this course. Some people were supportive, some think I am a bit too involved with software testing, and of all the people I spoke to about it, only one showed interest in taking the course – my manager. It seems to me that some of the people I work with look at software testing as the “job” they do, others as a “career”, and a select few have a passion about what they do. (Subject for another blog, I suppose.)
I am not going to divulge what goes on in the course, if you want to know you will have to sign up to take it. I will say that I was very glad to have had the opportunity to participate and meet other testers who share a passion for learning about themselves and testing.
Personal: My twenty-one year old daughter will be giving birth to my first grandchild towards the end of March 2009. I am quite excited about this. According to the latest ultra sound, it’s a boy! I have four daughters, so the thought of her having a boy is a nice little change that adds to the excitement.
I am also in the process of trying to buy a house. This is a challenge no matter who you are. For a little over 2 years now, we have lived in an apartment. Two of my girls are still living at home and they want to experience decorating their own rooms (this could be interesting), having their own yard, and the youngest shares a passion for dogs like myself. Apartment living does not allow for any of these desires. We are hoping to move closer to where I work as well. Currently the girls go to school in the town we live, and I travel 20 minutes in the summer - 40 minutes in the winter, to get to and from work. To have all things in the same town would be great. And I would not have to travel through what I refer to as “Moose Alley” any more. This is a stretch of road between the town I live and the town I work where you are almost guaranteed to see one of these prehistoric horses either on your way into work or on your way home, especially in the Fall and Spring. This sounds fascinating to people who don’t live here, but it is quite dangerous and potentially lethal to have one of these beasts step out in the road in front of your car.
In conclusion, the activities of the recent weeks have been both challenging and exciting. I am looking forward to the subset of changes, challenges, excitement, and learning opportunities coming my way. Life and Software Testing should never be boring!
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