There's a big demand for new software at the moment. Almost everyone seems to have a smartphone these days, and aside from the integral software that makes android and iOS tick, there is a multitude of app-based software hitting the market. This is on top of the existing market for personal computers. But with demand for software comes an increased danger of products not coming up to scratch, and that means that software testing has to be more intense than ever.
Testing isn't just about that final polish before it hits the shops. Often when a piece of software reaches testing there are still as many as a hundred mistakes for every thousand lines of code. That's a lot of bugs that need straightening out, and just finding them all involves a lot of stress testing and creative simulations. The consequence of a piece of software which is ten percent flawed going into the marketplace doesn't bare thinking about.
Samsung found this out the hard way after rushing to release their new Galaxy Nexus range in time for Christmas. The cutely named 'ice cream sandwich' range didn't find its way into the hearts of consumers, or even into many retail outlets, because it had a tiny problem with the volume control dialling down when there were lots of applications open. It's a relatively small mistake, but the implications of being locked out of shops during the Christmas rush were anything but minor.
With consumers being so well connected and vocal in their response to every aspect of each new bit of software, it's incredibly daunting to release anything into their hands. But testing helps this too: with good testing a level of confidence in the product can be assured before it ever hits the shelves.
You can't cover absolutely every eventuality, but software testing can make the chances of a product working well once it's released much higher. It is as essential as taste-testing a new recipe before giving it to other people.
Testing isn't just about that final polish before it hits the shops. Often when a piece of software reaches testing there are still as many as a hundred mistakes for every thousand lines of code. That's a lot of bugs that need straightening out, and just finding them all involves a lot of stress testing and creative simulations. The consequence of a piece of software which is ten percent flawed going into the marketplace doesn't bare thinking about.
Samsung found this out the hard way after rushing to release their new Galaxy Nexus range in time for Christmas. The cutely named 'ice cream sandwich' range didn't find its way into the hearts of consumers, or even into many retail outlets, because it had a tiny problem with the volume control dialling down when there were lots of applications open. It's a relatively small mistake, but the implications of being locked out of shops during the Christmas rush were anything but minor.
With consumers being so well connected and vocal in their response to every aspect of each new bit of software, it's incredibly daunting to release anything into their hands. But testing helps this too: with good testing a level of confidence in the product can be assured before it ever hits the shelves.
You can't cover absolutely every eventuality, but software testing can make the chances of a product working well once it's released much higher. It is as essential as taste-testing a new recipe before giving it to other people.
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