From: Stephen Celis <stephen.celis@...>
Date: 2008-11-18T22:42:01+09:00
Subject: Re: Should is the new Must?

Hi,

On Nov 18, 2008, at 7:09 AM, Trans wrote:

> Why did 'should' become the going nomenclature of BDD framworks?
>
> 'Should' connotes 'ought', as if something ought to do xyz, but
> doesn't necessarily have to. I don't know about you, but I don't write
> my tests/specs that way!
>
> 'Must' is the word that denotes what our tests/specs do.
>
>  my_method.must.do_the_right_thing
>
> not
>
>  my_method.should.do_the_right_thing
>
> 'Must' is a shorter word too. So why didn't it become the word of
> choice here?

Perhaps because even we programmers are fallible, and it softens the  
blow when specs fail. Ah! "my_method" is acting up again!

Stephen