Black-Box Testing: Techniques for Functional Testing of Software and Systems [Paperback]

Boris Beizer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471120944 | ISBN-13: 978-0471120940 | Publication Date: May 1995 | Edition: 1

From a leading expositor of testing methods, a practical, comprehensive, hands-on guide to the state-of-the-art black-box testing techniques

This book fills a long-standing need in the software and general systems development communities to make the essential aspects of black-box testing available in one comprehensive work. Written by one of the world's most respected figures in the field of testing, it is both a valuable working resource for independent testers and programmers and an excellent practical introduction for students. Dr. Boris Beizer clearly explains the principles behind behavioral testing in general and behind the most important black-box testing techniques in use today, which involve testing a system based on its desired behavior or function and for conformance to its specifications. Then, with fully worked examples, he leads you step-by-step from specifications to finished test cases.

Complete coverage of all important test techniques?including those that apply to object-oriented software
* Up-to-date?including the most recent breakthroughs in domain testing that now make this technique available to the working tester with no tools needed beyond a calculator or spreadsheet
* Examples based on the popular off-the-shelf tax preparation packages let you try the techniques on your favorite tax software
* Includes all necessary IRS tax forms
* Self-evaluation quizzes help you evaluate your understanding of the material

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

An expert in the software testing field, Beizer uses a range of examples testing IRS tax forms and their corresponding off-the-shelf tax preparation packages to demonstrate how a wealth of accepted and proven black box testing techniques can be used to validate the requirements of the forms as they relate to software. All methods are thoroughly introduced and tests are designed, modeled, and debugged for readers. Includes numerous self-evaluation quizzes and tax forms.

From the Back Cover

From a leading expositor of testing methods, a practical, comprehensive, hands-on guide to the state-of-the-art black-box testing techniques

This book fills a long-standing need in the software and general systems development communities to make the essential aspects of black-box testing available in one comprehensive work. Written by one of the world's most respected figures in the field of testing, it is both a valuable working resource for independent testers and programmers and an excellent practical introduction for students. Dr. Boris Beizer clearly explains the principles behind behavioral testing in general and behind the most important black-box testing techniques in use today, which involve testing a system based on its desired behavior or function and for conformance to its specifications. Then, with fully worked examples, he leads you step-by-step from specifications to finished test cases.

Complete coverage of all important test techniques?including those that apply to object-oriented software
* Up-to-date?including the most recent breakthroughs in domain testing that now make this technique available to the working tester with no tools needed beyond a calculator or spreadsheet
* Examples based on the popular off-the-shelf tax preparation packages let you try the techniques on your favorite tax software
* Includes all necessary IRS tax forms
* Self-evaluation quizzes help you evaluate your understanding of the material

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471120944
• ISBN-13: 978-0471120940
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #714,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, but full of bugs, ironically enough, March 10, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black-Box Testing: Techniques for Functional Testing of Software and Systems (Paperback)

I agree with the review above: It's a little dry. However, it is certainly thorough, and if you're willing to sit and work through the examples, it's extremely informative. Ironically, I found a number of errors in the examples. Guess he should have applied his own methodology...

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not much use to non US testers, December 14, 1999

By 

Maurice Johnson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black-Box Testing: Techniques for Functional Testing of Software and Systems (Paperback)

While this is a well put together book, it's reliance on the US IRS Tax Form for all examples, makes it doubtful that anyone not familiar with the form will gain much. This book is probably fine for a US Citizen, but for the rest of the world, his other books are far more accessible.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very hard to follow and needs some more examples, March 13, 2005

By 

Bruce Clark (Toronto ON) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black-Box Testing: Techniques for Functional Testing of Software and Systems (Paperback)

I tend to agree with all of the above reviews regarding this book. I am attempting to read this book at present and find it very difficult to understand how the different test models apply in the real world. I use to test setup for a major computer company. I am guessing that Chapter 8, Syntax Testing, or Chapter 9, Finite-State Testing, would apply. But I need more than the brief introductory paragraphs to know which one applies: Ch 8 - "Syntax testing is a powerful technique for testing command-driven software and similar applications. It is easy to do and is supported by commercial tools". vs Ch 9 - "Originally motivated by hardware logic testing, the finite-state machine model is an excellent model for testing menu-driven applications." The material in the chapters is thorough but dry.