SWS411 Assignment 1:

Questions based on Chapter One of Software Testing by

Ron Patton
Name: Neel Shah

Student Number: 300774226

Instructions
Read the sample chapter on eCentennial. Find it under Assignments/Assignment 1.
Download this question sheet. Enter your answers using MS Word or print these pages and write
your answers directly on them. Submit the assignment by bringing these pages to class on
Tuesday September 13 or uploading them to the dropbox before class on Tuesday September 13.

Marks
This assignment is marked out of 10 and is worth up to 5% of your final mark.

Questions
1. Which phase in a software development process is cause of main cause for most bugs? (1)
Specifications

2. The sample chapter gives five rules on pages 6 and 7 for determining what is considered
to be a bug in a software product. The rules are repeated in question 3 below. Which of the
following is not one of those five? (1)
Hint: the wording is changed and deliberately a bit ambiguous to make you think.
a. The product does not perform some functionality required by the specification. 1
b. The product offers functionality beyond what is required by the specification.
c. The product functions in a way that is different from what is described in the
specification.2
d. The product specification does not reflect the end-users needs or does not
solve the problem that motivated the development of the product.
D is not of the of five.

e. The product fails to meet non-functional expectations such as performance,

learnability or usability. 5

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SWS411 Assignment 1:
Questions based on Chapter One of Software Testing by
Ron Patton
3. Which one of the five rules is left out of the list of options for the previous question? (1)
a. The software doesn't do something that the product specification says it should
do.

b. The software does something that the product specification says it shouldn't do.

c. The software does something that the product specification doesn't mention.

d. The software doesn't do something that the product specification doesn't mention
but should.

e. The software is difficult to understand, hard to use, slow, or in the software

tester's eyes will be viewed by the end user as just plain not right.

4. Briefly explain why you chose your answer to questions 2 and 3 here: (1)

5. Philip Crosby, a quality assurance evangelist, wrote a book called Quality is free. Clearly
QA is not literally free because the staff, tasks, and tools involved add to development
costs. What point was Crosby making? (2)
Note: The chapter does not mention Phil Crosby. Based on content of this chapter and
previous lectures of this course, what do you think Crosby meant?
Hint: Be brief one sentence or a phrase is enough

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SWS411 Assignment 1:
Questions based on Chapter One of Software Testing by
Ron Patton

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SWS411 Assignment 1:
Questions based on Chapter One of Software Testing by
Ron Patton
6. In the example of the Y2K bug, do you think that the hypothetical programmer Dave took
the wrong approach in storing years as only two digits?
If your group has divided opinions, say so. (2)
Hint: Give a brief justification that shows deeper analysis than:
Dave was wrong because his two-digit years contributed to the Y2K bug.

7. Give other example of a product recalls or serious bug in a software product.

Use a defect you experienced personally, heard about on the news or other media or
found through a Web search. Briefly describe the symptom, defect and the impact it had
on the product vendor and users. (2)

If you researched online, give the URL where you found the description of the defect:
_____________________________________________________________________

Be prepared to speak up and share your example with the class.

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