Re: Software Vendors

[John Earl <johnearl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

Jim Langston wrote:
> 
> The program I had written for the software house was 100% bug
> free.  It did not have a single bug, at all.  In fact, it was not possible
> for the end user to "break" it.  Any value the user could of entered
> was handled.  It worked exactly as advertised and everyone was
> extremely happy with it.

I mean no disrespect, and in fact your program could
possibly have been "100% bug free", but you could never
prove it.  

It is simply not possible to test every conceivable
condition ( and every inconceivable one as well!) and
guarantee that a program is bug free.  Assuming you are a
human (and therefor mortal) you simply do not possess the
time or the mental capacity prove that your program will
work under every possible set of circumstances.  

One of the first rules I ever learned about testing was
this:  When you test, you can only prove the presence of
bugs, it is not possible to confirm their nonexistence.   

Think about it.   It'll change the way that you test.   It
may change the way you code too.


humbly, 

jte











--
John Earl                                          
johnearl@powertechgroup.com
The PowerTech Group                        206-575-0711
PowerLock Network Security              www.400security.com
The 400 School                               
www.400school.com
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