Perfect Software Quotes

“If you don't have questions about a product's risks, then there's no reason to test. If you have at least one such question, then ask: Will these tests cost more to execute than their answers will be worth?”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Testing gathers information about a product; it does not fix things it finds that are wrong.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Good testing involves balancing the need to mitigate risk against the risk of trying to gather too much information.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“When is the 'look out the windshield phase' of driving? Pretty much all driving is looking out the windshield! It's not a phase. Saying 'testing takes too long' is a bit like saying 'safe driving takes too long.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Testing gathers information about a product; it does not fix things it finds that are wrong. Testing does not improve a product; the improving is done by people fixing the bugs that testing has uncovered. Often when managers say, "Testing takes too long," what they should be saying is, "Fixing the bugs in the product takes too long"—a different cost category.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Jane easily shifts among activities—testing for discovery, pinpointing, locating, determining significance, repairing, troubleshooting, and testing to learn. As long as she continues to serve her customers, it doesn't really matter which task she performs at any given time.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Testing may convincingly demonstrate the presence of bugs, but can never demonstrate their absence."- Edsger W. Dijkstra, Computing Pioneer (1930–2002), "Programming as a discipline of mathematical nature," Am. Math. Monthly, 81 (1974), No. 6, pp. 608–12.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“• Do you think the outcome of testing will make your decisions for you? Business decisions cannot be made from a purely technical perspective. Certainly use information from testing to color your business decisions, but don't substitute testing for business decisions. For example, it can be a good business decision to ship a system that fails one or more tests. Conversely, it can be a bad business decision to ship a system that passes all your tests. Management has to consider other factors in addition to test results. • Conversely, is there any possible test outcome that would make you change your decisions? If not, why would you want to know the outcome, let alone pay for it?”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Or, suppose you want to motivate your managers to ship products on time, so you conspicuously promote each manager whose product goes out the door on schedule. All goes as planned until the situation arises in which one of your managers has a project where the testers are reporting numerous problems. Because managers who have shipped products on time have been promoted, this manager thinks, I want that promotion so I need to ship this on time, but those bug reports are getting in the way. I know what I'll do! I'll put the testers on another project until the developers have a chance to catch up.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“There's never an easy answer to the question "Should we do more testing?" because information can guide risk reduction, but doesn't necessarily do so.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Often when managers say, "Testing takes too long," what they should be saying is, "Fixing the bugs in the product takes too long"—a different cost category. Make sure you're accounting for effort and time under the correct cost category.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Testing does not improve a product; the improving is done by people fixing the bugs that testing has uncovered.”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing

“Denise: "So your present project is ready to pass to the testing people?" Ralph: "Absolutely." Denise: "Okay, since you're so sure it's adequately tested, I'm going to make you the following generous offer: If fewer than three bugs turn up in your component during testing, I will give you a raise. But if three or more bugs turn up during testing, you won't earn a raise this year." Ralph: "Um . . ." Denise: "Um what?" "Could I just have the component back for a few little tests I want to do?”
― Gerald M. Weinberg, Perfect Software And Other Illusions About Testing