Comments on: another reason % of time writing tests is meaningless https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/ Java/J2EE Software Development and Technology Discussion Blog Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:33:31 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Jeanne Boyarsky https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/comment-page-1/#comment-2248 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:33:31 +0000 http://www.selikoff.net/?p=1742#comment-2248 Scott,
Good analogy on debugging. Of course since debugging isn’t planned for, it doesn’t get measured or accounted for.

I have seen tremendous value with unit test as a testing/maintenance tool. Poorly written/tightly coupled ones, not so much. But good unit tests do help down the road.

]]> By: Scott https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/comment-page-1/#comment-2247 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:04:13 +0000 http://www.selikoff.net/?p=1742#comment-2247 Unit testing in my experience usually replaces most of the time blocked off for debugging. IF people actually planned for debugging, which they don’t. So you replace an activity that’s unplanned, unpredictable, and often frustrating, with one that’s planned, predictable, and constructive.

I believe unit tests are usually overrated as a testing and maintenance tool (the dirty little secret is that often they cost more to maintain than they are worth), but underrated as a development tool (where they are one of the most efficient ways to find and fix initial bugs and design flaws).

]]> By: Jeanne Boyarsky https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/comment-page-1/#comment-2245 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:26:18 +0000 http://www.selikoff.net/?p=1742#comment-2245 I disagree. The cost of maintaining an app over time is more complicated. Which is why I didn’t include it. I think that having tests in place minimizes long term costs, but it can’t decrease them to less than zero.

]]> By: Ernest https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/comment-page-1/#comment-2243 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:33:10 +0000 http://www.selikoff.net/?p=1742#comment-2243 Jeanne,

In your formula, I believe the Y + Y*X represents the real time to complete an application and have it ready for production deployment. The Z factor kicks in after the application goes into production and now it’s in the maintenance mode.

The Z is affected by Y*X; the more time is spent on unit testing (represented Y*X) the less time it takes to troubleshoot and fix the problem (represented by Z).

I believe that relationship is not shown in the formula.

Regards

]]> By: a response to – “What would you say is the average percentage of development time devoted to creating the unit test scripts?” | Down Home Country Coding With Scott Selikoff and Jeanne Boyarsky https://www.selikoff.net/2010/02/27/another-reason-of-time-writing-tests-is-meaningless/comment-page-1/#comment-2242 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:19:23 +0000 http://www.selikoff.net/?p=1742#comment-2242 […] another reason $ of time writing tests is meaningless […]

]]>