dice_cube

Expected values in software testing

Expected  values are valuable in statistics and in software testing. However, they generally mean different things. How do they differ, and how can one be applied to the other? What is expected value? Expected value is also referred to as …

barn_lock

C# clipboard locking and a crash

While testing a feature that accessed the clipboard recently, I came up against an interesting clipboard scenario. What test strategies and models can we use to approach this feature in order to highlight the most important risks? A straight-forward approach …

windows_bug

How to capture screen recordings in a bug report?

Are you looking for a quick and dirty way to record steps, screenshots and documentation for your bug reports? Look no further than a tool that comes with Windows: Problem Steps Recorder. Problem Steps Recorder is one of the hidden …

checklist

VimOutliner Windows installation howto

VimOutliner is a plugin that turns Vim into an outliner.  It’s cross-platform.  However, installing it on Windows can be challenging.  My customized version of the plugin should make it a breeze. Why VimOutliner?Vi keystrokes!Vi lovers, this is probably the only …

clock

Using TZEdit on Windows SP, SP2, SP3 for daylight saving time (DST)

If you’ve got some older systems or a new netbook that can’t quite handle Vista , you might be hanging onto Windows XP longer than you thought.  Out of the box, XP and the new DST changes don’t get along.  …

netbook

How to install Office on a netbook?

Netbooks generally lack CD or DVD drives, but installing Office 2010 Professional (or just about any software that comes on CD or DVD) only takes a few extra steps. Here’s one way to do it… Things you’ll need: Second computer …

question-person

What is the purpose of PyPy?

PyPy is a Python interpreter written in Python. It claims to be faster than CPython for certain benchmark tests. How can Python — not particularly known for its speed — interpret Python source code faster than an interpreter written in …

overflow

SQL stress test: Simulate full database

Simulating a full database is a beautiful stress test, but how the heck can this be done quickly with SQL Server? A full database is likely never encountered during development and probably completely forgotten during testing (it was in our …

jenga

Visual Studio integration with p4merge

Integrating Perforce’s p4merge with Visual Studio can be a bit tricky, but it doesn’t have to be! Using a couple of pre-written batch files and Visual Studio configurations, you’ll be up-and-running in no time.Step 1: Copy the following batch files …