Exploration Through Example

Example-driven development, Agile testing, context-driven testing, Agile programming, Ruby, and other things of interest to Brian Marick

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Thu, 15 Jul 2004

I need an article on 'insourcing'

In the November/December issue of Better Software, we're going to have an article on outsourcing. I thought that it would be interesting to have a Front Line article on "insourcing". Many people have outsourced, been disappointed, then chosen to bring development back in house. A good article would tell the story of such an event and offer advice to people contemplating it. What problems can they avoid? What tricks of the trade should they know?

If you have such a story in you, mail me. Deadlines are a bit tight, unfortunately: first draft as late as August 15, but final draft is due September 1.

## Posted at 09:44 in category /misc [permalink] [top]

Mocks aren't stubs

Martin Fowler has a nice summary of the differences between mocks and stubs, or the difference between state-based and interaction-based tests. Way back when, Ralph Johnson had me review the original mock objects paper and I completely missed the distinction, which forced me to abase myself when I met Steve Freeman at Agile Development Conference 2003.

## Posted at 09:38 in category /testing [permalink] [top]

Strangler Applications

Martin Fowler shows what happens when a thinker goes on vacation:

When Cindy and I went to Australia, we spent some time in the rain forests on the Queensland coast. One of the natural wonders of this area are the huge strangler vines. They seed in the upper branches of a fig tree and gradually work their way down the tree until they root in the soil. Over many years they grow into fantastic and beautiful shapes, meanwhile strangling and killing the tree that was their host.

This metaphor struck me as a way of describing a way of doing a rewrite of an important system...

## Posted at 09:38 in category /misc [permalink] [top]