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I suppose testing could be understood as a special error-correcting code for a particular noisy information processor -- humans writing software. But then one
by hxa7241 16y ago
I suppose testing could be understood as a special error-correcting code for a particular noisy information processor -- humans writing software.
But then one must begin to wonder, are they doing that job very well? Testing does not seem to be so carefully designed as Hamming codes or others . . .
- jeffdavis 16y agoIt's not as much about clarity of communication as it is clarity of thought. Also, a program is not a single message being sent to the computer. A program is revised over time, and testing helps ensure the integrity of the program through revision.
- hxa7241 16y ago> ensure the integrity of the program through revision Yes, that is what I am thinking: each step is like sending the signal through a noisy channel (that also does some transforming -- it is not an exact analogy). But testing doesn't seem to be carefully designed to address the particular kinds of 'noise'/mistakes that humans make.