Software Testing

I attended the SIGiST conference on 16 September 2010 in London and met some excellent people.  Thanks to everyone who talked to me about their experiences in testing.  Special thanks to:
Richard Roy, James Windle, Jennifer Lumley, Geoff Thompson, Stephen Allot, Graham Thomposn, Isabel Evans, Mohinda Khosla, James Lyndsay, Peter Morgan and Stuart Taylor.

Here is some links worth looking at if you are interested in Testing (and Agile):

• James Lyndsay (Exloratory Testing expert): http://www.workroom-productions.com/
• Peter Morgan: http://www.nicemove.biz/testing/index.html
• Stephen Allot: http://www.electromind.com/index.html
• An interesting remark from Stuart Taylor on his blog: "... good testers (Agile or not) are a fairly rare breed": http://working-thought.blogspot.com/

 Have a nice read!!

Oh, and this is a fantastic tool for helping to write test cases/user stories etc: http://www.manifestation.com/neurotoys/eprime.pl

On Climate Change

Climate change is inevitable.

“One way or another, climate change is going to affect every organisation and every individual in this country. If we are to thrive as a society, every organisation and every individual must adapt” said Lord Henley, the climate change minister to The Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

The government cannot afford to stop investing to protect the environment.  Please sign the Letter To The Future today.

Also consider Adopting A Jaguar to help the Sky Rainforest Rescue campaign in partnership with the WWF. Sky will match donations pound for pound to their campaign target of £4 million.

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking: "mankind must colonise space or die out":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/aug/09/stephen-hawking-human-race-colonise-space

Stephen Hawking warns over making contact with aliens:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8642558.stm

Running for Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent

Last month I began a new exercise and diet plan with the intention to get fit.  Since my mum died in November 2009 I've been wanting to do something in memory of her and so I have decided to do something.  I plan to run the Hastings Half Marathon on the 21st March 2010 to raise money for Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent.

Until the end of May this year I was quite fat and unfit.  I've recently joined a gym and started to train for the Hastings Half.  So far I am really enjoying it.  I feel better and have loads more energy than I have had in recent years.

Last sunday (25th July)  I ran 10km for the first time in many years and feel brilliant that I did it.  Each week I work towards the goal of reaching a new distance or losing some weight.  By March 2010 I need to be able to run about 23km.  Hastings Half will be hard work but I really want to do it.

Please have a look at my charity webpage: http://www.justgiving.com/Christopher-Swain
and also have a look at the Hastings Half website: http://www.hastings-half.co.uk/ 

I hope to raise £500.00 for Pilgrims Hospices.  The people who work at Pilgrims are wonderful people and provide very special care for the sick and needy.  They need more money than I could possibly give so please support me and donate via my JustGiving page.

Look Pilgrims Hospices up at http://www.pilgrimshospice.org/

Letter To The Future

I signed the RSPB Letter To The Future this week after becoming member of the RSPB.  My local RSBP reserve Elmley Marshes has made a positive impression on my attitude to nature and climate chaos.

According to the RSPB, the tax payers money that was recently given to banks, to keep them afloat, will very likely end up being put towards climate damaging projects.  Tax payers need assurance that their money is going towards improving the climate and looking after wildlife.

I've spotted an interesting page on how Tax money gets spent to create false stories about climate change: http://tiny.cc/yjg6u. No matter what is said, people still need to look after the world they are living in.

Consider if what you buy is good for the environment when you go shopping.  For example buy honey from local farmers rather than on honey imported from New Zealand.

Churches Conservation Trust

The Churches Conservation Trust is a national charity which cares for over 340 of England’s finest historic churches no longer required for regular parish worship. I care passionately about the history, which churches represent, and believe that historic churches are central to the future of our countryside, our towns and our cities. I am regulary drawn to visit churches. They act like a magnet. They represent safety, comfort, peace, love and hope. They were built to last longer than the homes built around them and I believe they should be maintained and cared for to last forever.

Find out more from the Churches Conservation Trust website.

Finding strength in the face of adversity.

"Life isn’t perfect, but adversity helps to define who we are" [Jo DeMarco, President and CEO of Contessa Knows].

"The next time you are faced with adversity, learn from it and know that you are becoming a much stronger person because of it." [John Boe, Sales Trainer]

"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." [Robert Collier, author of The Secret of the Ages]

"People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles." [Frank Herbert, author of Dune]