[Python-Dev] Breaking Test Cases on Purpose

[Guido van Rossum]

> Suppose I'm fixing a bug in the library. I want peer review for my fix,
> but I need none for my new "would have caught" test cases. Is it
> considered alright to check-in right away the test case, breaking the test
> suite, and to upload a patch to SF to fix it? Or should the patch include
> the new test cases? 
> 
> The XP answer would be "hey, you have to checkin the breaking test case
> right away", and I'm inclined to agree.
> 
> I really want to break the standard library, just because I'm a sadist --
> but seriously, we need tests that break more often, so bugs will be easier
> to fix.

In theory I'm with you.  In practice, each time the test suite breaks,
we get worried mail from people who aren't following the list closely,
did a checkout, and suddenly find that the test suite breaks.  That
just adds noise to the list.  So I'm against it.

-1

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.pythonlabs.com/~guido/)