Better Software Magazine Articles

One Step Back ... Two Steps Forward

A change to code that previously was working may introduce new failures. Testing for regression can catch these failures, find new problems, and identify opportunities to improve your test design.

Michael Bolton's picture Michael Bolton
Record & Playback, You Have My Apologies

The relationship was wildly exciting and adventurous when it began, but soon Dion Johnson discovered the scandalous truth about his new friend, Record & Playback. Not wanting to endure or support such deceitful behavior, Dion embarked on a campaign against Record & Playback. With the intervening years acting as a buffer, he now wants to give Record & Playback a second chance. In this column, find out how Dion plans to save the relationship from totally dissolving.

Dion Johnson's picture Dion Johnson
From Primitive to Prominent: The Past, Present, and Future of Automated Code Analysis

Automated sourcecode analysis tools are becoming more powerful and more necessary than ever before. Alberto Savoia takes a look at the evolution of static and dynamic code analysis tools, from their humble beginnings to their present status as indispensable technology, and tells us what he predicts for the future.

Alberto Savoia
Happy Are the Software Engineers

Miska Hiltunen takes a look at his own Tick-the-Code Inspection, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's study of happiness, and how you can cultivate quality through practical methods of empowering your software engineers to improve their own work.

Miska Hiltunen's picture Miska Hiltunen
Is There an Assessment in the House? Diagnosing Test Process Ailments in House

When you're not feeling well, you go to the doctor for a checkup. If your organization's test process isn't working as well as you'd like, you should give it the same treatment. Ruud Teunissen offers advice on performing an in-house test process assessment.

Ruud Teunissen's picture Ruud Teunissen
A Look at VMware

The more complicated the system to test, the bigger the headache. Chris Meisenzahl takes a look at how you can take the pain out of testing complicated software systems with VMware’s virtualization tools—VMware Player, VMware Workstation, VMware Server, and VMware ESX Server.

Christopher J. Meisenzahl
Speaking Truth to Power: How to Break The Bad News

There comes a time in every software professional's career when telling the truth to someone in power becomes an issue. It can be a difficult situation, but it's far worse to keep silent. Norm Kerth offers some helpful advice on speaking up in ways that are tactful and sincere.

Norm Kerth
More Stress, Less Distress

An overwhelmingly harsh test will expose dramatic vulnerabilities, but stress testing requires sensitivity to the unexpected. In this article, Michael Bolton directs readers out of the automated-testing comfort zone and toward better methods of spotting unanticipated problems.

Michael Bolton's picture Michael Bolton
William Robert Elmendorf: In Memoriam

A look back at the life of Bill Elmendorf.

Richard Bender's picture Richard Bender
Planting Seeds of Software Awareness

Some of the most powerful tools for software developers are now free--a fact which Chris McMahon believes should help bring small businesses and local developers together in the creation of custom software. Read of how he plans to accomplish this on a local level.

Chris McMahon's picture Chris McMahon

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