Chi fa testing

da Joel on Software:

"Who should be a tester? That’s tricky! Software testing is one of those careers that isn’t that well known, so a lot of people who would be great at testing and would probably enjoy it a lot never consider applying for jobs as testers.

Signs of a good tester:

• Scientific
• Loves a good puzzle, even the kind that takes days to solve
• Likes to think about things methodically
• Generally likes working with software and computers

[...] Since testing can be taught on the job, but general intelligence can’t, you really need very smart people as testers, even if they don’t have relevant experience. Many of the best testers I’ve worked with didn’t even realize they wanted to be testers until someone offered them the job."

A fine 2010, CMMI versione 1.3

Sono previste per fine anno le nuove versioni dei modelli CMMI for Development (CMMI-DEV), CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ), CMMI for Services (CMMI-SVC).

Un articolo su Crosstalk (The Journal of Defense Software Engineering) presenta le caratteristiche delle nuove versioni.

Automation Paradox

"when a Metro subway train rammed into another train in Washington, D.C. last June, designers had to confront the unpleasant reality that automation may have been the cause.
The accident, which killed nine people and injured 80, may have been rooted in a computer malfunction and the operator’s inability to manually apply the brakes quickly enough.
The Metro train accident lies at the heart of what human factors experts refer to as the “automation paradox.” As automated systems become increasingly reliable and efficient, the more likely it is that human operators will mentally “switch off” and rely upon the automated system. And as the automated system becomes more complex, the odds of an accident or mishap may
diminish, but the severity of a failure is often amplified."

"Making Automation Work", di Samuel Greengard, in Communications of the ACM, dicembre 2009

Insegnamento online

The Inevitability of Teaching Online, di Gregory W. Hislop in IEEE Computer, dicembre 2009.

Conclusione:
"Faculty members who are not near retirement must come to terms with this seismic shift in higher education or risk being left behind. This is not to suggest
that traditional, face-to-face teaching will fade away. But it seems clear that online teaching will be a growing proportion of teaching overall, both in the form of completely online courses and blended courses with significantly reduced face-to-face interaction. To stay ahead of the wave, all instructors and institutions need to begin serious efforts in online learning today."

Le condizioni dell'Italia

Rapporto Istat "Noi Italia. 100 statistiche per capire il Paese in cui viviamo", edizione 2010.

Documento di sintesi in pdf.

Sito web con i dettagli.

Le condizioni della lingua italiana

Un comunicato congiunto dell'Accademia della Crusca, dell'Accademia dei Lincei, dell'Associazione per la Storia della Lingua Italiana:

http://www.accademiadellacrusca.it/lingua_italiana_scuola_sviluppo_il_documento.shtml