[Firebird-test] Catching up on postings

[Leyne, S. <sl...@at...>]

All,

First, please allow me to apologize for not reading the postings sent
over the last couple of days prior to sending my "plan for discussion"
posting.  I wasn't used to much activity in this list and didn't even
think to check.

While I am impressed with the discussions that have taken place, I think
we need to establish the goals which need to be address by the testing
processes.

I see the goals as:

1)	Users running the testing programs should be insulated from the
actual implementation/coding of the programs.  They should be able to
download a ZIP/TAR with contains an executable, run it, review the
results and perhaps create new scripts.

2)	The execution of the testing program should involve a minimal
installation footprint; the db client is expected, installing a C++
compiler should not be.

3)	All of the testing programs (including any script editors)
should portable, to run on any platform which the engine runs on.

4)	Any choice of development tools (Delphi, C++, Python, Java or MS
C# <big grin>) should carefully consider the overall expertise of the
project members.  

Other goals?


Next, in order to decide how to proceed, we need to understand what the
scope of the TCS suite functionality.  I, personally, don't understand
why the current suite required such a elaborate shell/scripting
environment and how that fit's in to the script which are executed.
Perhaps someone could write up a explanation for all the member of the
list -- so that we all understand who the piece are currently
constructed.  Any volunteers?


Finally, I would suggest that before we go writing any code that we need
to explore the options available to us.  The options which have been
mentioned so far include:

- modifying the current TCS suite
- PostgreSQL testing suite
- NIST suite
- XP test framework
- Open Source Database Benchmark (http://freshmeat.net/projects/osdb/)
- CppUnit 

Any other suggestions?


Sean