Open Stack

On 09/18/2013 03:37 PM, Martina Kollarova wrote:
> There is a lack of design documentation and specification in the blueprints, creating test
> plans is problematic and requires a lot of communication with the developers. I was
> wondering whether we could partially remedy this by creating a place where we could share
> test plans - a place to add comments, point out problems and figure out the weak points of
> the features.
> 
> These test plans wouldn't be meant for documenting the
> existing tests (documenting 800+ test cases would be impossible
> anyway), just as a means of communication.
> 
> My current solution is github + text files[1]. I chose using github because it's more
> likely to be actually used by developers. Another alternative would be the wiki, but I
> think the code-like nature of test plans would profit from using the same tools as for
> code. Putting them right into the blueprints would be problematic, as it doesn't support
> formatting, but we can link them there.

+1

FWIW, I always prefer text files + git based approach. See more below.

> 
> Are there perhaps some better solutions for this? Would it be worth our time to try this?

I think, yes.

There was a prior discussion[*] on this topic a couple of months ago -- read complete
thread, if you have patience.

I noted my 02 cents on why plain text (obvious, but just spelled out), reposting here:


  (1) Text file are fast, easy to manage. I bet, they'll still be here 50 years
      later! Bulky "management systems" - I doubt that.

  (2) Works well over bad internet connections/remotely (I often work w/ a 2GB
      usb internet card). We can use tmux/screen session on a remote machine & work
      peacefully.

  (3) You can send patches, and apply them via the venerable git (and do all
      other magic).

  (4) Most (linux) developers are averse to clicky things. I've never seen
      really happy developers reviewing tests from a heavy clickety management system.
      However, they're (some) happy to contribute tests if it's based on
      text files using git.

  (5) OpenStack uses rST (for all its README & docs & everywhere else).
      But, I'm aware, it's not the same as tests.

  (6) Add your own...


[*] http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-qa/2013-May/000356.html

-- 
/kashyap