There is a relatively new ( or at least now in vogue, I suspect good
programmers have been using it for years, without realizing the new
paradigm )method in software development "termed test driven development".
It's part of what is now called "extreme programming". I've seen one
presentation on it, so I'm no expert.
In test driven development, there are test platforms available for many
languages (for Java, there's JUNIT; for .NET, NUNIT, etc). You develop code
by writing a test for a simple part of what software will do. Since you
haven't written any code, when you run the test against the software, the
software will fail the test. You then right the minimum amount of code to
cause the software to pass the test. Then you add another test, and more
software to pass that test. Note, however, that each time you test the
software, it runs against all the previous tests, so if a change you made to
pass a later test broke something that causes the software to fail an
earlier test, you'll know about it when you run the test.
The drawback in the case of the Orion, is that I doubt that there is an
O-UNIT testbed. However, it might be worthwhile for TT to develop such a
testbed.
73,
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael A. Newell, WB4HUC" <mnewell1@austin.rr.com>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 11:02 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re: Continuing Orion evaluation/Dragonball
> > The problem is the usual one,
> > you "fix" one line of code and everything from that point to the end of
> the
> > program has to be tweaked to make it work. And then everything has to be
> > re-tweaked and tweaked again, and by the time you get the program
working
> to
> > everyone's satisfaction someone has found something else not to their
> liking. So the
> > process starts all over again.
> >
> > 73 Pete Allen AC5E
>
> The firmware needs to be thoroughly tested before it leaves the factory.
> It only needs to be tweaked when it fails a test. It's the testing of the
> firmware that Ten Tec needs to improve.
>
> I believe it would be possible to develop a methodology for the Orion
> where you could test all possible or likely combinations of buttons,
knobs,
> and menu items, but considering how many ways all those controls
> interact, it'd probably take a couple of hours to conduct such a test.
>
> After each firmware change not only would new or changed features need
> to be tested, but all existing functions would have to be tested to be
sure
> none were broken when the firmware was changed. If they were, then they'd
> have to be fixed, and the testing would start all over.
>
> It's possible for this to be done at the factory, but it'll probably never
> happen.
> I think Ten Tec will continue to let the customers do the factory testing
> for them.
>
> --
> Mike - WB4HUC
> Austin, TX
>
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