Re: [boost] Interest in a Behavior Driven Development Framework

From: Dean Michael Berris (mikhailberis_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-09-15 16:04:58

Hi Joel!

On 9/15/06, Joel de Guzman <joel_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
> But why would a layperson have to read pseudo-english embedded in
> arcane C++ when she can read the documentation? IMO, (sorry Dean)
> all this hoopla is just an elaborate excuse not to write proper
> detailed documentation.

Yes, having someone else read pseud-english in C++ is a bit too much
to ask. But for the programmers' sake, reading something that's meant
to be a specification and use it as such in code might be helpful. At
least I seem to think it is. ;-)

> IMO, programs that end up overly complex
> and rife with potential error stems from the lack of documentation
> and design discipline. Code goes haywire and get into a tangled
> mess, and hence become unreadable in the process. It does not start
> from unreadable code, it starts from lack of, inadequate, or
> improper documentation.
>

Indeed. But documentation aside, the same reason why we have unit
tests is to test whether a system is within specification. This
approach is just yet another way of specifing expected behavior, using
a closer to english language.

At least, this is the aim of the spec library anyway. :-)

-- 
Dean Michael C. Berris
C++ Software Architect
Orange and Bronze Software Labs, Ltd. Co.
web: http://software.orangeandbronze.com/
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