8 interesting facts you sure didn’t know about software testing

Every day, hundreds of articles come out about the importance of software testing, testing methodologies, certifications, cybersecurity and other serious topics. We’re guilty of that, too, and this time we decided to take a different approach.

While (not only) testers across the globe worry about AI taking our jobs, it’s time to take the edge off the discussions and look back at the history of technology. It can be a relaxing journey, because it helps us realize that humans always did and still do have a key role in tech. Also, not everything that looks like a disaster actually ends up being one.

We’re bringing you 10 interesting and quirky facts from software testing that will hopefully make your day!

Astronauts and Software Bugs:

The term “bug” in software debugging has an interesting origin. In 1947, computer scientist Grace Hopper famously found a moth inside a computer, causing a malfunction. She coined the term “debugging” when she removed the moth from the machine. Her name also funnily enough resembles the term “grasshopper”, referring to yet another kind of a bug. Coincidende? We don’t think so.

The Million Dollar Comma:

In 2006, a Canadian telecommunications company lost over a million dollars due to a misplaced comma in a contract. The error allowed one party to terminate the agreement prematurely. Missing or misplaced symbols are a tester’s daily bread, but it’s not always such an expensive one (hopefully).

Mariner 1 Space Probe:

In 1962, NASA’s Mariner 1 space probe, intended for a flyby of Venus, self-destructed just minutes after launch due to a single missing hyphen in the code. The missing hyphen led to an incorrect trajectory calculation. See? Another symbol worth millions! You’re fine.

The “Year 2000 Bug” (Y2K):

As the year 2000 approached, there was widespread fear that computer systems would fail because many programs represented years with only two digits. Extensive testing and remediation efforts prevented widespread catastrophes, but the Y2K bug remains a significant testing and coding lesson. Did nobody in the 80s realize that 2000 is just 20 years away?

The Pentium FDIV Bug:

In 1994, Intel had to recall its Pentium processors because of a floating-point division bug. Although it only affected certain calculations, it showed the importance of rigorous testing, especially for core hardware components. The moral of the story is that even at Intel, a bug sometimes makes it to production. Not that it makes it fine, but it can be a consolation.

Mars Climate Orbiter:

NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter, launched in 1998, crashed into Mars due to a failure in metric-imperial unit conversion. One team used metric units for calculations, while another used imperial units. The error in unit conversion was not detected during testing. Imperial march plays faintly in the distance.

“Hey Siri” Vulnerability:

In 2018, researchers discovered that voice assistants like Siri and Alexa could be activated and manipulated through ultrasonic frequencies that humans can’t hear. This vulnerability led to privacy concerns and the need for additional security testing. Imagine someone taking control of your iPhone AND your dog!

SpaceX and Floating Point Error:

In 2015, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Ariane 5 disintegrated after launch due to a floating-point error in a piece of ground support equipment. This incident highlighted the need for comprehensive testing not only in software but also in the broader systems involved. Turns out that computers aren’t as good with numbers as they seem to be!

In conclusion, let’s underline the following facts:

• Testing is important (always and everywhere).
• Errors do happen (even to industry leaders).
• Computers are not perfect (despite expectations).

So let’s keep our cool and continue making sure that human-driven software testing stays front and center in the quality of the software delivery process.

Interested in more interesting facts, new technologies and top professionals of software testing sharing their experiences in the industry?

It just so happens that juno.one is a partner of an event that focuses on this topic! Join us at the sanae.beer conference on the 8th and 9th of November in Bratislava, where we’ll be talking about software testing (and craft beer) from all sides!