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Challenge Duncan! Help me to learn Java through the medium of test automation

I’m currently focussing on my Java skills & I have been doing this by working through the Head First Java book.

Even though this is a great book & not as dry as the SCJP tome I started with, the worked examples still are not as authentic as I’d like them to be - I’m finding it hard to stay motivated!
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Testing [is] Dead? Do I now cease to exist?

There has been a lot of buzz around how the role of the Tester is changing in light of a more responsive & flexible development process (“Agile”, if you will)

The GTAC headline of “Test is Dead” is attention grabbing, but when you listen to views being discussed, they don’t actually say there is no future testing, only that its perspective has shifted. Unfortunately, some people don’t read past than the headline…

Nor is this a new concept for 2011 - the role of the Tester has gradually been shifting since the introduction of different approaches to programming, such as Test Driven Development.

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Testing The Time Machine - Lessons Learned / Retrospective

This post is about using the output from my Testing The Time Machine dojo to help me develop my exploratory testing, presentation & facilitating skills.

The previous post includes what I learnt from the session generally, in terms of organising a geek night & presenting. This post is about what I have learnt from the session output combined with the previous post in order to identify clear goals for my continued exploratory testing learning as well as improving the dojo.

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First Liverpool STC - done & dusted


The complete write can be found here. This post is focussed on what I took from the meetup & how I can learn from it.So my first attempt at a geek night is complete, but as for how it went I’m not sure I have an answer. 8 people showed up, so that’s a good start!The idea behind the night was the see one, do one, teach one concept - I’ve Learnt about exploratory testing, I’m trying to practice it & now its time to try & explain it to others!

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Testing dojo - Testing The Time machine

Through scouring the different testing challenges & realising the potential limitations (such as its a big ask to expect everyone to bring a lappy on the 1st night) I really like the idea of ‘hypothetically’ testing an object.


Several of the challenges refer to testing an object not yet invented, from the future, or technically interesting. I liked the idea of all of these, so I put the challenge in the context of Back To The Future!