Stockton Rush is dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He was killed in a spectacular implosion of the Titan submersible during a dive to the site of the wreck of the Titanic, on … [Read more...] about A Tester Debates a Dead Man
Buggy Products
Persuasion for Testers
This question came up in the recently Rapid Software Testing Explored online class. Donatas asks: "Let's say you discover a problem in the application or the development process itself. However, it … [Read more...] about Persuasion for Testers
The Bestselling Software Intended for People Who Couldn’t Use It.
In 1983, my boss, Dale Disharoon, designed a little game called Alphabet Zoo. My job was to write the Commodore 64 and Apple II versions of that game. Alphabet Zoo is a game for kids who are learning … [Read more...] about The Bestselling Software Intended for People Who Couldn’t Use It.
Tyranny of the Innocents, Exhibit A: Gary Cohen
Gary Cohen, Deputy Administrator and Director, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is not a computer guy. He's a lawyer. He knows the … [Read more...] about Tyranny of the Innocents, Exhibit A: Gary Cohen
Healthcare.gov and the Tyranny of the Innocents
The failure of Healthcare.gov is probably not because of sinister people. It's probably because of the innocents who run the project. These well-intentioned people are truly as naive as little … [Read more...] about Healthcare.gov and the Tyranny of the Innocents
A Satisfying News Story
Here is the difference between happiness and satisfaction: Consider this quote is from How Zynga went from social gaming powerhouse to has-been. "During my five-month mark, it started turning sour … [Read more...] about A Satisfying News Story
When Does a Test End?
The short answer is: you never know for sure that a test has ended. Case in point. The license plate on my car is "tester." It looks like this: On December 20th, I received this notice in the … [Read more...] about When Does a Test End?
CNN Believes Whatever Computers Say
(CNN) -- Early evidence points to driver error as the reason a 2005 Prius sped into a stone wall on March 9, according to federal investigators. "Information retrieved from the vehicle's onboard … [Read more...] about CNN Believes Whatever Computers Say
Toyota Story Analysis
I'm not against Toyota, really. I'm against manufacturers who try to weasel out of their responsibilities after they put people at risk with poor design. I do not know if Toyota is guilty of that, … [Read more...] about Toyota Story Analysis
Advice to Lawyers Suing Toyota
A press release by Toyota recently stated: Toyota’s electronic systems have multiple fail-safe mechanisms to shut off or reduce engine power in the event of a system failure. Extensive testing of this … [Read more...] about Advice to Lawyers Suing Toyota