In his last two entries, here and here, Dave Hyatt discusses the test suites available for standards, specifically those used to test things like CSS 1, 2 and 3. His point is that because the test suites aren't there, charts showing browser support are not very useful because they don't give designers a good idea of the depth of support for a feature.
This is a great point and one that could be fixed. Can't the W3C make a list of things they need test cases for and then let the public claim them and write them? I wrote a system like this for links that were being reviewed. Anyone could add a link to the queue. Then anyone could reserve a link, write their review, and then come back and post a link to it. It seems like a similar system would be extremely useful. Instead of having a few people writing the suites, people could contribute thereby invoking the lazy web.
Hi Jf,
you said:
"""Can't the W3C make a list of things they need test cases for and then let the public claim them and write them?"""
It has been done already a lot of times in the past. It has been the case for the DOM Test Suite for example.
http://www.w3.org/DOM/Test/
You can participate to the effort
http://www.w3.org/DOM/Test/#Participation
The CSS WG has also published their tests http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/Test/ and a test suite documentation http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/Test/testsuitedocumentation.html
You have also authoring guidelines for the test http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/Test/guidelines.html
The W3C has created for two years now an activity, which is the QA Activity ( http://www.w3.org/QA/ ). There is A WG and an IG. The WG has in its deliverables a Framework to help other W3C WGs to organize QA in for their technology.
The Framework is still in the process of being written but we have a *DRAFT* about Test Suites. ( http://www.w3.org/TR/qaframe-test/ ).
You can participate to the work by subscribing to the www-qa@w3.org list and be part of the IG grou and discuss the Framework.
Thanks a lot for the info Karl. It just goes to show you should look around before you run your mouth. I'll definitely check out those links, as I've wanted to contribute to the W3C but never knew there was an easy way.
hi, your post is very important for me, thanks