Re^2: Testing 1...2...3...

[raybies]

That's a great question to ask. Perhaps that's a key in motivating good test/coding: Identify the areas in which developers can take pride in their work, and then promote those areas.

In my particular case, I think it's because the original developed code (which is C-wrapped Fortran) has been around for decades now, and it's a massive strung-together type project (and it uses Motif... bleh) that is required to maintain backwards compatibility with some legacy hardware that's been around since WWII. So what's there to take pride in, if you're the third generation developer on it?

(Well, that's the attitude... I suppose I should attack that attitude, rather than just my original point of attack, which is configuration management and test-automation for maintainability's sake.)

[Old_Gray_Bear]

You said --

... required to maintain backwards compatibility with some legacy hardware that's been around since WWII. So what's there to take pride in, if you're the third generation developer on it?

Well, the Old Folks take pride in the fact that We even remember anything about that particular breed of hardware/ software. (Said by someone who is currently working with some folks who want to drive an IBM 1403 model 3, built circa 1961, from a Linux box -- it's for a museum display: type your message, press <print>, and listen ...)

The Kids get a chance to show how good their deductive/ analytical/ archaeological skills are. Plus, putting the project on your CV makes sure that your Resume will be remembered by the next Hiring Manager. ("You worked on WHAT? I thought they'd all be replaced by PCs by now. Why, I remember Back In the Day ...")

And everybody gets to be amazed that something designed and built the the 1940's is still around and doing useful work.

Plus you get some delicious war-stories to trot out at the buddies-n'-brew on Friday night. ("You won't believe how LOUD those things are until you've been in the same room with one....")