uTest Interview

uTest invited me to be interviewed for Testing the Limits series this month.  They have graciously referred to me as "one of the most insightful and entertaining testers in the business". Please give the interview a read.  And if you have additional questions, please send them my way.

• Part I. Worst bug, testing philosophy, defensive pessimism, certifications
• Part II. Trusting automation, why Quality Assurance is a bad title, overstructured managemenet
• Part III. How I got into testing, what would I be doing if there were no such thing as software

What Sesame Street taught me about problem solving

A checklist for buying a new computer

Buying a computer has changed significantly in the past 25 years. Or not?

From Melbourne's The Age, 18 June 1984

Some features that are really important to me:

• on-off switching (the most important feature)
• security against blow-up (because I fear burns and shrapnel from exploding computers)
• position of reset key (a reset key next to the shift key would be a pain)
• big yellow bus (aren't computers good for education?)
• radiation shielding (don't want to be sterilized while playing Pole Position)
• movable screen (I might want to take the screen home with me)
• ease of plug-in ROM installation (cartridges are better than tapes)
• recognize commands in u/l case (I expect the computer to understand me -- EVEN WHEN I YELL AT IT!)
• hard disc option (I prefer to save data to tape, but a hard disc would be a nice option)
• stand-alone capability of slaves (I want slaves that can work without being micro-managed)
• octave range (I need a computer that can sing soprano)
• RS-232C port (In case I want to interface it to my lawn sprinkler system)
• Paddles (to spank the computer when it misbehaves)
• key-word dictionary (to understand this check list)
• country of origin (can I get a machine made in the USA?)
• dynamic debugging tool (certainly don't want a static debugging tool)
• Logo (because I just love that little turtle)
  

Wait != Hesitate