From: Albert Wagner <alwagner@...>
Date: 2001-11-19T02:04:00+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:25766] rubyUnit, et. al.

I have installed ruby unit because so much of what I install that others 
wrote requires it.  But, personally, I have yet to grasp its usefulness  to 
me, given the way I typically program.  It seems that to be useful, the 
functionality of a  module or class must be pretty much defined before it is 
written.  I don't work this way.  

If I had to name my modus operandi, it would probably be called "sculpting" 
(as in wax or clay, NOT rock).  I start first with a really sloppy script, 
written as fast as possible; a sort of "proof of concept" to myself that what 
I want to do is even possible. Classes seem to split, spawn, morph, disappear 
and reappear with great rapidity.  I am constantly refactoring.  Only 
gradually does the design begin to settle down and firm up to the point that 
unit testing would be feasible.

I am curious about how others work;  And how unit testing is really used:   
as a predefinition of specs or tacked on after-the-fact to convince others 
that you are PC (Politically Correct).