Better Software Magazine Archive:

March 2006

IN THIS ISSUE

Behavior Modification
By Dan North

Novices are often hampered by test-driven design's legacy terminology and notation. Behavior-driven development shifts the emphasis from testing to specification. Dan North describes how behavior-driven development makes established agile practices more accessible and effective for teams new to agile.

Who do You Trust?
By Tod Golding

The defensive programmer may sometimes feel a touch of paranoia in his work, but it’s all part of the job. Writing code today that is robust and defensive will help protect against the potential errors of the unforeseeable future.

A New Strategy
By Matthew Heusser

After a conversation with a stranger about the abuses of process in an industry that features spaceships, technology, and an oddball rebellion against a controlling empire—no, nothing to do with Hollywood—Matthew Heusser ponders a simple dose of process improvement.

A Look at Command Line Utilities
By Danny R. Faught

There are some large and complex tools out there for testers, but the ones Danny Faught uses most often are small and conveniently accessed by way of a simple, old-fashioned command line user interface.

When an Emergency Takes Center Stage
By Peter Clark

The middle of an emergency is no time to make a plan. Take a look at this installment of "Management Chronicles" to learn how not to be prepared for an emergency situation, and then read the Story Lines for some helpful, preparatory advice.

Is the Pope a Bachelor?—Why Examples are Most Important
By Brian Marick

We like to believe that the categories we assign to the world are real and the definitions we use draw clear boundaries, but how clear are they really? Brian Marick writes about the vital nature of examples, both in the realm of software development and in the larger picture of life.

Help Wanted: Hiring a Software Tester With an Agile Attitude
By Lisa Crispin

What can you do to ensure you hire a tester with an agile attitude? Lisa Crispin explains the approach her team used to find a new tester with both the right skills and the right attitude.

Tester PI: Performance Investigator
By Scott Barber

Finding avoidable, show-stopping problems when performance testing late in a project is, unfortunately, not uncommon. But Scott Barber says you can save time and money on your software development projects by investigating performance early and validating performance last.

Taking Our Act on the Road
By Michael Bolton

In this Test Connection, Michael Bolton discusses making your products portable.

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