Could Python supplant Java?

[Mark McEahern]

[FISH]
> Software testing is the *LAST* line of defense against bugs,
> not the *FIRST* !!!  ;-)

But what if you write your tests first, before you even begin writing code?

> And how do I test the tests?  (If your test software is there to
> ensure your program works - what is ensuring your test software
> works?  Do you have test test software?  And test test test
> software?)  We're back to what I said before - testing is the
> LAST line of defense against bugs.

Actually, unittest.py does have a unit test.  Neat, huh?

The tests initially fail--because you haven't written any code yet.  Then
you write the code.  Some of the tests pass.  Others still fail.  Maybe you
discover you need to modify the tests.  More of them now pass.  But you
still need to modify the code.  The tests and the code evolve together.

Of course, if you take a linear approach, where you have this fixed notion
of what's first and what's last and you march from one to the other without
ever turning back, then you might not allow yourself to be so flexible.

Cheers,

// mark

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