A university scholar, Mr. X approaches his friend a software-testing guru telling him that he has a Bachelor in programming, and now would like to learn the software testing to complete his knowledge and to find a job as a software tester. After summing him up for a few minutes, the software-testing guru told him "I seriously doubt that you are ready to study software testing. It's the serious topic. If you wish however I am willing to examine you in logic, and if you pass the test I will help teach you software testing. "
The young man agrees.
Software testing guru holds up two fingers "Two men come down a chimney. One comes with a clean face and the other comes out with a dirty face.
Which one washes his face?”
The young man stares at the software-testing guru. "Is that a test in Logic?" software testing guru nods.
"The one with the dirty face washes his face," He answers wearily.
"Wrong. The one with the clean face washes his face. Examine the simple logic. The one with the dirty face looks at the one with the clean
Face and thinks his face is clean. The one with the clean face looks at the one with the dirty face and thinks his face is dirty. So; the one with
the clean face washes his face."
"Very clever" Says X. "Give me another test"
The software-testing guru again holds up two fingers "Two men come down a chimney. One comes out with a clean face and the other comes out with a
dirty face. Which one washes his face?”
"We have already established that. The one with the clean face washes his face"
"Wrong. Each one washes his face. Examine the simple logic. The one with the dirty face looks at the one with the clean face and thinks his
face is clean. The one with the clean face looks at the one with the dirty face and thinks his face is dirty. So; the one with the clean
face washes his face. When the one with the dirty face sees the one with the clean face washing his face, he also washes his face.
So each one washes his face"
"I didn't think of that!" Says X. " It's shocking to me that I could make an error in logic. Test me again!."
The software-testing guru holds up two fingers "Two men come down a chimney. One comes out with a clean face and the other comes out with a
dirty face. Which one washes his face?”
"Each one washes his face"
"Wrong. Neither one washes his face. Examine the simple logic. The one with the dirty face looks at the one with the clean face and thinks
his face is clean. The one with the clean face looks at the one with the dirty face and thinks his face is dirty. But when the one with
clean face sees that the one with the dirty face doesn't wash his face, he also doesn't wash his face So neither one washes his face".
X is desperate. "I am qualified to study software testing. Please give me one more test"
He groans when the software-testing guru lifts his two fingers, "Two men come down a chimney. One comes out with a clean face and the other comes
out with a dirty face. Which one washes his face?”
"Neither one washes his face"
"Wrong. Do you now see, John, why programming knowledge is an insufficient basis for studying the software testing? Tell me, how is it possible
For two men to come down the same chimney, and for one to come out with a clean face and the other with a dirty face? Don't you see?
GUYS !!! Requirements for testers will look the same but expectations from clients will vary every now and then…So never under estimate TESTERS..

Sam HobbsPosted Jun 16, 2011, 5:19 PM
Ideally failure will be clear. In reality it often is not. In reality bugs are often not caught until after testing and management does not relate the failure to something specific. For example Yahoo is buggy and frustrates many people yet Yahoo considers bugs to be inevitable (at least that is what they say in their Group Management Forum). Symantec (Antivirus at least) in the past has had a good reputation but recently it is developing a bad reputation due to many problems. Accpac acccounting software had chronic bugs when Computer Associates owned it until they sold it. What we might consider failure management often considers to be normal for business.
Mahesh ChandPosted Jun 16, 2011, 10:30 AM
Software development is a team work. If any member do not do good job, it affects the whole project. For example, if requirements are not clear, the project will fail. If design is not good, the project will fail. If code is bad, the project will fail. After that, testers come. Testing is not good, project will fail. However, a good developer can reduce a lot of need/work for a tester. If project management is not good, the project will fail :). If I am a good developer, I may not need a tester at all. It depends. It happens in many small projects where its just one or two developer team, they don't hire a tester. Tester are the actual users.
Sam HobbsPosted Jun 15, 2011, 9:28 PM
I think this is more of an example of the need for clearly stating requirements and specifications. I don't understand how it is relevant to testing, but I think it clearly explains the need to communicate clearly and how it is possible to be misunderstood at times when you think you are being clear. I think it is a fantastic example of how we feel when we try to answer questions and we don't understand yet the person asking understands very clearly what they intend.