Testing: Can We Afford Not To?

What is the price of not thoroughly testing software?  John D. McGregor of Luminary Software has served as an expert witness in several trials in the United States that may help determine the answer.  When software is sold for a purpose it wasn’t designed or adequately tested for, clients can – and do – sue the software company. For example, software developed for a sit down restaurant must be retested before it can be sold to a fast food restaurant.  Even if they are both restaurants, the volume and speed of orders is different and the software may not be able to handle it.  The court looks at each case individually and applies a test of reasonableness:  was the software tested using state of the art techniques, such as following the IEEE guidelines? Software is judged according to the standards available at the time the software was produced.  According to McGregor, the lawsuits are largely successful. He hopes it will illustrate the importance of proper testing. As accountability becomes more and more of an issue, it may also help the move towards the certification of software professionals.
— Garry Froehlich
