A call to action: let’s fix the Wikipedia page on software testing
Today, I had a few minutes, and wanted to try, yet again, to make some positive change to the article on software testing on wikipedia
I failed. It’s a mess, and I don’t know where to start. It’s too long. It’s unorganized. Many / most of the citations are a decade or more old. Some blanket statements are un-cited (and arguably false). Other citations point to non-peer reviewed conference presentations. At best, some citations are from books 20 years old. Software testing has changed, but the entire article represents antiquated methods of testing. I recognize that many teams test this way, but the article fails to recognize many other testing approaches.
@noahsussman attempted to clean a large chunk of the article, but it was blindly (mostly blindly) rejected. He needs help, but I’m not sure how to help him by myself. I don’t know what the new article should look like, but I want to be a part of creating it.
My first challenge for you is to go read the article from beginning to end. If things don’t sit well, read the citations. Try to make sense of it. Then come back here and tell me if you’re as frustrated (or as embarrassed) as I am. Compare it with the article on software development if it helps.
My second challenge is for you to join the cause to fix it. Send me a DM on twitter (@alanpage) – or send me an email (this domain – alan), and I’ll add you to a slack group where we can discuss strategy, share thoughts, and figure out how to modify this article so it makes sense to all of us – and that it’s an article we all feel can represent the current definition and state of software testing.
To be clear, I think there’s some value buried in the current page, but I think it can be much, much better. If you agree, come help me (and if I can get him re-involved, help Noah as well).