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I am filled with solutions

Essays on testability, testing and being a better tester.

Getting Test Settings from Microsoft Test Manager into your tests

This code is by way of the awesome Ben Schaefer. This should have been a native function included...

Date: 12/06/2010

Launching test runs from TCM.Exe

First skim this article: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd465192.aspx Next, run this script...

Date: 11/04/2010

Team Build 2010 generic post processing scripting

My team is switching from the 2008 style builds to the workflow builds in 2010. We have a lot of...

Date: 09/01/2010

TF215097: Cannot create unknown type when using pure XAML actions.

While trying to add some customization to my build process (you know, those wheel spinners) I ran...

Date: 08/31/2010

Error Could not find type Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities in assembly 'Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow'

My next adventure is modifying my teams build template to allow us to do some custom post...

Date: 08/27/2010

Running Tests cross domain with TFS and Visual Studio 2010

In part 1 I promised to continue the configuration to allow running tests from TFS with Microsoft...

Date: 08/12/2010

Using Visual Studio 2010 to remotely debug ASP.Net crashes.

Suppose you have an ASP.NET page that is giving users some vague error message like "An error has...

Date: 08/12/2010

Thinking better: Selection Bias

This is a super article on selection bias. weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=390 In...

Date: 08/04/2010

UI testing with VS2010 and Microsoft Test Manager 2010 screencast.

Here is a screencast I created that it a quick tour and walkthrough of how to use the new manual...

Date: 07/22/2010

Good and bad aspects of test sign off

Test Sign Off, n: 1. A promise from the test team that all tests have been run and are passing to...

Date: 07/12/2010

It is wiser to find out than suppose. - Mark Twain

If you have found out, please share with the rest of us. The pen keyboard is mightier than the sword...

Date: 06/28/2010

Top 3 must haves for writing good bugs (er, bug reports)

Top 3 must haves for writing good bugs bug reports Brian, another tester at Microsoft, and myself...

Date: 06/21/2010

Bing Maps SDK release - Fixing "Bad Plugin Definition" error.

There is a problem with the Bing Maps map app test tool and the latest SDK we launched for Tech Ed....

Date: 06/08/2010

You’ll get it wrong - Simple Things can be deceptively hard.

Mark Pilgrim in his Dive Into HTML 5 recomends that you don't validate email address....

Date: 05/03/2010

Behaviors in Silverlight and Expressions Blend 3

Working on Bing Map Apps has gotten me a little deeper into Silverlight than I had been before. It...

Date: 04/26/2010

Silverlight controls for Bing Maps

Here is a cool little application that will allow you to easily create a "virtual tour" in Bing...

Date: 03/23/2010

Programming in 2009 isn't much different than R&D in 1898 it seems

The Australian Physicist, Sir Richard Threllfall (1861-1932) remarked in 1898 - "Though, no doubt, a...

Date: 06/04/2009

Creating URL configurable Visual Studio Web Tests

Creating URL configurable Visual Studio Web Tests I recently joined a project with a lot of web...

Date: 04/27/2009

Consider replacing strings with Enums in resource references.

Consider replacing strings with Enums in resource references. I see code like this all the time in...

Date: 11/21/2008

The right and wrong way to create unique data for tests.

I have noticed some code in various places that creates some conditions for mysterious test...

Date: 11/03/2008

Working with Permuations and Combinations

Something tests end up doing a lot of is working with permutations and combinations. For those of...

Date: 10/24/2008

What constitutes a unit test?

When I speak of unit tests, sometimes there is a slight communication breakdown. Just becuase a...

Date: 08/25/2008

Please stop re-inventing the wheel.

Please stop re-inventing the wheel. There are a lot of software wheels that get re-invented all the...

Date: 08/25/2008

Writing code for today and tommorow

Writing code for today and tomorrow Any developer working at a pace that will allow them to stay...

Date: 08/25/2008

Planning Software projects Part 1

Planning Software projects Part 1 Good planning is critical to delivering software. Anyone who has...

Date: 08/07/2008

Planning software projects Part 2

Planning software projects Part 2 Plan how you will work Plan your infrastructure first In order for...

Date: 08/07/2008

Hyper-v export to off machine share trick.

Today I wanted to export a hyper-v machine to a share on a computer with more disk space. However I...

Date: 07/15/2008

Book Review: The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live with Technology by Kim Vicente

Book Review: The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live with Technology by Kim Vicente...

Date: 07/09/2008

Working Smart in Test - a simple approach to personal workflow

Working Smart in Test A situation came up this week with two different testers in my team. They both...

Date: 06/26/2008

Wordle

Ok, this is just plain old fun. Here is a "map" of my last 3 blog posts. Click for full size.

Date: 06/17/2008

Practical debugging; Apply some science to the problem

Practical debugging; Apply some science to the problem Untested software has bugs. As we test...

Date: 06/17/2008

Give the monkey a banana; Why real change is hard for business groups.

Give the monkey a banana Living organisms have elaborate mechanisms to help them survive and even...

Date: 05/29/2008

Software engineering lap times

This is a critical path in software development. Your average lap time controls the speed that you...

Date: 05/13/2008

This is test driven development

Jason Gorman at www.parlezuml.com shows us how to do it in visual studio....

Date: 05/08/2008

How to get a free lunch in testing

How to get a free lunch in testing. I hear people talk about getting testing "for free" quite a bit....

Date: 04/25/2008

Why don't we actually focus on the customers for use cases and scenarios for a change?

Scenarios, also known as use cases, are key to getting people up to speed on what you plan to test...

Date: 04/10/2008

I.M. Testy talks about UI automation and ROI

blogs.msdn.com/imtesty/archive/2008/03/28/gui-automation-and-roi.aspx I.M. Testy says...

Date: 04/04/2008

When should (automated) testing be random?

When should (automated) testing be random? I recently posted a blog post about unit tests. In it I...

Date: 04/03/2008

Go slow now to go fast later.

Again I shall recomend you read Jason Gorman's blog. Speed Comes Later. Start Slow. Focus On Getting...

Date: 02/27/2008

8 minutes on holistic test approach: A proven way to get great results from test automation

I have another short video for you here. This one explains one proven approach to getting high...

Date: 02/20/2008

I'm not the only one thinking unit tests.

Jason Gorman ruminates on unit testing on his excellent blog. He makes a strong case for doing all...

Date: 02/19/2008

Screencast: 8 minutes with Visual Studio 2008. Easy unit tests and code coverage.

This week I spent my blogging allowance on creating a screencast. This video shows you how easy it...

Date: 02/16/2008

Never automate anything bigger than your head: The cheaters way to get to 100% code coverage.

Never automate anything bigger than your head. :Cheat your way to 100% code coverage. I have been...

Date: 02/08/2008

Putting code examples where my mouth is

I back up the high level preaching with code. I have had requests to back up the “high level...

Date: 01/22/2008

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