From: Bil Kleb <Bil.Kleb@...>
Date: 2006-12-07T01:00:04+09:00
Subject: Re: TDD/unit testing question

Trans wrote:
> Hi --

Hi.

> I sympthize. I think TDD makes more sense for applications in which the
> general structure of the program is a given.

I respectfully disagree.  I find TDD beneficial even when
just trotting down to the corner store.

> If youre still working on
> the "what's the best API" then you are probably better off just putting
> the TDD on the back burner until you have it mostly worked out.

This is known as Technical Debt, and IMO, is pure evil
as in the movie /Time Bandits/.

> Then you can go back and put in tests. I know that TDD concept promotes
> putting the test before the code, and really one should strive to do so
> (I don;t do it enough myself) but that doesn't mean you always have to
> do so. Really, the most important thing is that you end up with tests.

But, it'll probably be more costly to do so after the fact -- see
Beck's /When Should We Test?/ article in the Files section of
the extremeprogramming Yahoo group.

Regards,
--
Bil Kleb
http://fun3d.larc.nasa.gov