What is the role of automated testing in software development?

Automated testing is a game-changer in the world of software development, and it’s hard not to get excited about it! This powerful tool represents a major step forward in the development process, with the potential to streamline testing procedures and drastically reduce the risk of human error. In essence, automated testing allows developers to write code that tests other code, which can then be run over and over again with no user intervention required. With this approach, developers can catch bugs and errors early on in the development process, avoiding costly delays and keeping their projects on track. The bottom line? If you’re not taking full advantage of automated testing in your software development workflow, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to optimize your productivity and ensure the highest possible quality in your products.

Why is it extremely important for a tester to master the skills of writing autotests

Imagine being able to run tests on your code with the click of a button – without the need for manual intervention. That’s the power of autotests. In today’s fast-paced software industry, it is essential for testers to master the skills of writing autotests. Not only does it save time and effort, but it also ensures that your code is working as expected, every time. As a tester, being able to automate your testing process gives you more time to devote to other critical aspects of your job, such as analyzing test results and implementing necessary changes. By mastering the art of writing autotests, you can stay on top of your game and deliver high-quality software products with ease.

What software is best covered by autotests, and which software should be tested manually

When it comes to software testing, automation is a game-changer. Not only does it save time and reduce human error, but it also allows us to constantly monitor the quality of our product. However, not all software is created equal, and some programs need more manual attention than others. Ultimately, the best approach is a hybrid one: some tests should be automated, while others are done manually. For example, autotests excel at checking repetitive tasks such as user authentication or data entry. On the other hand, more complex software that requires significant creativity or human input should be manually tested. By knowing which type of software requires what kind of testing, we can ensure that our products are thoroughly checked and ready for launch.

Software of modern casinos

The world of casinos has come a long way since the days of spinning roulette wheels and clunky slot machines. Now, with the advent of modern technology, software has taken over the reins, ensuring that everything runs like clockwork. The excitement of winning big is now just a few clicks away with sophisticated software powering the operation. Programs that analyze player behavior, track gaming statistics, and process financial transactions all work together to provide an optimal gaming experience. Bet on it, the software of modern casinos has raised the bar and set a new standard for how we play and win.

How the software market for offline casinos is developing

The world of offline casinos is experiencing a revolution like never before, thanks to the advancements in software technology. Today, more and more players are preferring the offline casino experience over the digital one, and that’s exactly why the software market for offline casinos is booming. The industry has witnessed a steady growth in the number of innovative software providers who are pushing the boundaries of offline casino gaming. From state-of-the-art slot machines to interactive poker tables, the offline casino industry is becoming more diverse and engaging than ever before. And with every passing day, we’re seeing more exciting developments that promise to take the offline casino gaming experience to new heights. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the offline casino gaming industry!

Whether casino software is tested with autotests

If you’re a fan of casino games, you might not have thought about the software behind the games you play – but it’s an essential part of any online casino experience. That’s why the news that some casinos are using autotests to ensure their software is top-quality is really exciting. Autotests mean that a software program is used to run a series of tests automatically, checking for things like bugs and errors that could affect your gameplay. This is great news for players, as it means that the casinos are taking the quality of their products seriously – and that you can enjoy your favorite games without worrying about any glitches. So if you’re looking for a top-quality casino experience, make sure to look out for those that use autotests to ensure their software is up to scratch.

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There are so many automated testing tools available on the market that it can be difficult for beginners to make the right choice. We have compiled a list of the most in-demanded tools that will help you make up your mind faster.

Selenium

Selenium is a popular open-source testing tool that is primarily used for web application testing. It supports multiple programming languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, C#, and JavaScript, so QA specialists can write test scripts in their preferred language. The tool also provides web app testing on all popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

In Selenium IDE, testers can record and playback test cases without the need for coding. This helps them speed up the testing process and is especially useful for non-technical users. One more advantage of this tool is parallel testing: using Selenium Grid, you can run tests on multiple machines simultaneously, thus reducing the overall execution time.

Appium

Appium is a popular choice for mobile app testing. This open-source tool allows testers to write test scripts once and run them on Android, iOS, and Windows. In addition, Appium supports the testing of both native and hybrid mobile applications on real devices or emulators. It provides different locators and methods to interact with the UI elements of the application. Due to its user-friendly interface, the creation and execution of test scripts are convenient and easy.

JMeter

JMeter is written in Java and is platform-independent. It can be run on different operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS. This open-source tool is used for load, functional, and performance testing of web applications. It supports a variety of protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and JDBC.

Customization is available with JMeter: testers can tailor the test plan as per their requirements. This includes setting up the test scenario, creating HTTP requests, and adding listeners to collect the results.

Cucumber

Based on a behavior-driven development (BDD) framework, Cucumber allows for writing test scenarios in plain English language, which makes it easier for non-technical stakeholders to understand the test cases. The tool is open-source and cross-platform. For writing test scenarios, it uses Gherkin syntax, which is easy to read and understand and can be used by testers, developers, and business analysts.

HP UFT

HP UFT is a powerful automated testing tool that provides a wide range of features to test desktop, web, and mobile applications. However, it is a commercial tool and can be expensive compared to other open-source tools available in the market.

It supports various platforms, provides different ways to identify objects (ID, name, class, and XPath), and allows testers to create scripts using keywords, thus reducing the need for programming knowledge. One more interesting feature of HP UFT is image-based testing, i.e., the ability to compare images to verify the application’s UI elements.

Of course, there are many other options available. Your choice should always be based on your team’s experience, resources you can use, and project requirements.

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Sitecore is a powerful and versatile content management system (CMS) and digital experience platform (DXP) that is widely used by businesses of all sizes to deliver exceptional experiences to their customers. As a result, there is a growing demand for expert Sitecore development services to help companies fully leverage the platform’s and drive their ecommerce growth. This article introduces you to the most in-demand software engineering services offered by Sitecore experts.

Customization and Integration Services

Sitecore is a highly flexible platform that can be adjusted to meet the unique needs of different businesses. Development companies offer customization services to help businesses tailor Sitecore products to specific requirements. This includes creating custom templates, designing custom workflows, and integrating third-party tools and applications.

Customization services are also essential for ensuring that Sitecore seamlessly integrates with existing systems and workflows. Experts can help businesses integrate Sitecore with their existing CRM, ERP, or other enterprise software, ensuring that data flows smoothly between different systems.

Development Services

Sitecore development services include everything from creating custom modules and components to designing and building custom websites and applications. End-to-end development enables businesses to create personalized and engaging digital experiences that are tailored to their customers’ needs and gain a competitive advantage in today’s digital landscape. The creation of data analytics solutions allows businesses to gain valuable insights into their customers’ behavior, preferences, and needs, enabling them to optimize their digital experiences further.

Migration Services

Turning to migration services, businesses can move their existing websites and digital content to the Sitecore platform. Experienced developers can help businesses migrate their content, design, and functionality from other CMS platforms, such as WordPress, Drupal, or Magento.

Sitecore migration also includes upgrading the platform to the latest version and ensuring that all content is migrated securely and efficiently. This ensures that businesses can benefit from the advanced features and capabilities of Sitecore without losing any existing content or functionality.

Support and Maintenance Services

Sitecore is a complex platform that requires ongoing maintenance and support to ensure that it runs smoothly and efficiently. Software development providers offer support and maintenance services to help businesses manage and maintain their Sitecore installations.

These services include troubleshooting issues, resolving bugs and errors, providing technical support, and ensuring that the platform is secure and up-to-date. Sitecore experts also offer training and guidance to client’s employees to make the most of the platform and improve their digital content management processes.

Performance Optimization Services

This type of services implies the improvement of the speed, performance, and scalability of Sitecore products. With the help of Sitecore experts, businesses can optimize their website and digital content to improve the user experience, reduce page load times, and increase site speed.

These services include improving caching and indexing, optimizing the database and server infrastructure, and enhancing the performance of individual pages and components. Sitecore performance optimization is essential for businesses that want to provide a fast and seamless experience to their users, improve their search engine rankings, and increase conversions.

Wrapping Up

Sitecore experts offer a range of software engineering services that can help businesses get the most out of this powerful content management system. From customization and integration to development, migration, support, and optimization, these services can help businesses streamline their digital content management processes and achieve their business objectives.

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1. Print Resolution

Print quality is determined by print resolution. In general, the print will be sharper and crisper the higher the print resolution is. To print stickers and labels with high-quality results, use a print resolution of 1200
dpi. This is especially important for labels with pictures and illustrations. Anything above 1200 dpi is sometimes unnecessary because the quality changes are barely discernible. Keep in mind that printing will take longer
if the print quality is increased. A printer with a resolution of 300 to 600 dpi will work for printing shipping or address labels, and other prints that only have text on them. It is not advised to use a printer with a
resolution of less than 300 dpi.

2. Printing Speed

Another aspect to consider is printing speed, which is inversely proportional to print resolution. Look for a printer that prints at the best print resolutions at a respectable rate. By examining their rating in pages per
minute, you may determine the speed of a printer (ppm). Laser printers are normally faster than Inkjet ones.

3. Running Cost

Always keep in mind that a product’s operating costs are more crucial than its pricing. So, keep the supply costs in mind while you look for the ideal kind of printer for product labels. Many companies may
advertise their printers at a low cost in an effort to tempt you, only for you to discover that the ink and toner will cost a lot more. So, before you purchase any product label printer, check out how much replacement
materials cost. A choice is the best if its operating costs are within your budget.

4. Paper Handling

Although producing high-quality product labels may be your main objective, you should also consider the other things that you will probably print with your printer. legal envelopes, paper stock, index cards or check stock
likely to be printed at any point? you ought to think about purchasing a printing device that is capable of handling more than just standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper. Different paper sizes and thicknesses can be used with
many different printer models. These printers serve a variety of functions and are very practical.

5. Inkjet vs Laser

These are the two most common type of printers and to determine which of these would be ideal for you is kind of necessary. Depending on the product labels you’ll be printing and the amount of printing you’ll be
performing, you should make this decision.

The greater popularity of inkjet printers is due to their versatile functions. They print effectively on a variety of printing substrates, including papers of different densities and sticky papers. Inkjet models are
especially well-liked due of how quickly they print, which makes them the best option for handling large-scale printing projects.

Contrarily, monochrome printing works well with laser printers. If your label design contains shipping barcodes, they are your best option. There are color laser printers as well. If you’re looking for a printer best for
small businesses and home offices, laser printers need to be your first choice.

When does the choice of printer matter, and when does it not?

Matching the printer type and labels is an important thing. Using incompatible printers and labels will wreak havoc on your labels and, in some situations, even break your printer. For instance, using a laser-printable sheet
in an inkjet printer will cause smearing because the sheet won’t absorb the ink. In contrast, Inkjet sheets may melt when heated up in a laser printer, and thus damaging the parts. You only need not to be concerned about
the printer type when using printable products that are specifically made to function with both laser and inkjet printers.

In a nutshell,

When printing labels, where it is necessary to ensure the kind of labels you are using to print your product labels and sticker, it is also essential to use the correct kind of printer. If you’re using a printer with
low resolution and low printing speed, while the maintenance costs are high, you are probably going to end up facing failure and losses in your bosses. That is why, choosing the right printer is important when printing
labels.

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There are also many problems related to building complex web-based systems that involve various types of dynamic data structures (such as graphs), work with unstructured or semi-structured data (JSON), provide high availability and fault tolerance (a typical example is the de facto standard REST architecture for web services). And all these new paradigms make software engineering even more interesting!
A short interview with a CF Objective Conference participant follows.

Can you specify any particular tools or practices, which you believe should become widespread in the community of software engineers?

I guess everyone nowadays knows about DevOps and CI/CD (Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery). Both terms are usually used together, but it is worth mentioning them separately. DevOps helps to solve many problems related to integration of code written by different developers. It also helps with the creation of features that work correctly on the first try. CI helps not only with testing but also makes it possible to build a release immediately after successful tests (and this means that there will be no manual errors). All these processes help improve both efficiency and product quality; they reduce time spent debugging production issues and eliminate delays caused by waiting for manual testing.

Can you name any specific books, blogs or other resources that are worth reading by software engineers?

I guess everyone nowadays knows about StackOverflow. It is not only a very popular question-and-answer site for programmers but also an amazing source of knowledge, which includes lots of interesting articles on software engineering best practices . There are many excellent books available on the website too. For example I’d recommend The Clean Coder by Robert Martin. This book can be read online for free here .
Other good readings include the blog posts from the ThoughtWorks company (especially those written by Martin Fowler ) and Pragmatic Programmer, as well as Andrew Stellman’s articles. And don’t forget to look through the blog posts of your colleagues!

What software engineering conferences, seminars or other events can you name? Which ones would you recommend visiting?

There are lots of software engineering conferences and seminars. I guess everyone knows about FOSDEM. In recent years it has become one of the largest European open source developer conferences. If you want to visit a more “academic” event, there is always PLDI, which presents academic research in the field of programming languages and their semantics. It also includes many interesting invited talks by prestigious speakers from industry and academia. Last year’s edition was very successful – I’d encourage you to check out the videos for some amazing presentations!
If you prefer something less formal – take a look at EuroPLoP , the premier European conference on Practical Aspects of Declarative Languages. It’s also a great opportunity to attend workshops dealing with various programming languages – there are many presentations related to functional, object-oriented and logic programming.

Finally, if you want to meet other “interesting” people, take a look at Strange Loop. This is one of the biggest annual conferences about functional and dynamic programming languages and systems. It takes place in St Louis (Missouri) and includes lots of interesting presentations every year! There is no need to mention that these events usually end up with an amazing afterparty.

Can you name any books, articles or resources that aren’t directly about software engineering but influence your work?
WhenI started writing my own software almost 20 years ago, I was heavily influenced by the bestseller Code Complete. This book has become an instant classic and is still considered to be one of the most useful resources for programmers. It was written by Steve McConnell (a well-known expert in software engineering – watch his presentation here). The second edition of this book is available both on Amazon and as a free online version on Safari.

Another good read is Peopleware, a must-have book for all those involved in people management! Thomas J. DeMarco and Timothy Lister have done a great job explaining why good developers don’t necessarily make good team leaders… But if you want to switch your role from developer into some more senior position, you should definitely read this book!

What advice would you give to software engineering students?

Two words: learn how.
Believe it or not, but knowing the syntax of your programming language of choice is just a tiny part of being a good developer. You have to constantly improve yourself, go beyond just using some tool and be aware that there is always something new to learn. Always ask yourself why things are done in a certain way – never accept anything as “this is how it’s supposed to be”. This approach will help you understand many concepts quickly and avoid lots of errors at the same time.
I guess every programmer has his/her own tricks and recommendations on how to be a good developer. What advice would you give to beginner programmers?
Learn how to write simple tests for your code, learn about ways to deliver and promote your application (packaging, deployment and so on). When you finish writing some piece of software – don’t forget about documentation!
Justin F., CF Objective Conference

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But still there are some peculiarities: firstly, it’s very important for us that our servers work correctly; secondly, no one has ever implemented such thing before (at least we didn’t find anything similar on the Internet), and therefore we have to make everything from scratch; thirdly, there are plenty of subtleties which make the task more complicated. By subtleties I mean corner cases (for example, how to behave with the player if he enters an empty deck?) and difficulties connected with making it all fault-tolerant under varying network conditions (the game is played at best online casino canada, remember?).
Blackjack algorithm
Well now let me describe what has to be done in general. For this purpose I will give you an example: suppose that now our server supports one room only; let’s call it #sajiha; there are 10 players; each of them is playing against the dealer; everyone makes his decision before the others do. According to house rules we need to deal two cards firstly to the dealer and secondly to the player who sits on the left from him. So we have a deck of 52 cards and 2 cards are dealt. The same rules apply to the other players: two cards each before he makes his decision. In case if at least one player has made a bet, it is checked whether the current result forms a “blackjack” or not (i.e., whether there are 3-4-5-6 or 7-8-9 in total). If yes, he wins; otherwise – loses.
After this step we need to move all the actions which were performed by players to a special list, sort them according to time and make an appearance of every player simultaneously (i.e., show his window with the numbers of his cards and the result of the game). In order to do that we need a message queue between our server and its clients.
Implementing the game process
To implement such functionality it is necessary to have a separate thread for every player in the process of his work with us. But how can we realize this? After all, there are only 2**32 open file descriptors available on modern OSes, so one cannot create a thread for each of them! Of course one may use non-blocking sockets, but if you take other tasks into account (for example, time control), I don’t think it’s worth describing such a technique here. So what should be done instead? The answer is simple: threads communicate via pipes or other data streams. As far as I know, all browsers implement this algorithm.

In other words, every player should have a pipe opened to our server process. When the client is finished with his actions, he should pass a special signal to the other end of the pipe and this will make it possible for us to know what exactly has been done by him.

When we’ve got such information from all other players as well, we can compare them and calculate the result of each hand according to the rules of the game. In essence it’s quite simple: if there are any duplicates in cards’ numbers – somebody has cheated; if one card repeats more than twice – somebody has cheated too; etc. As soon as we finish checking all hands we should perform some actions depending on the result of the game, for example, pay out money to players who won https://canadianonlinecasino.bet/.

There are some subtleties of course, but I won’t dwell on them now.
Finally it’s time to inform all players about the results. For this purpose one should pass the corresponding numbers of wins and losses into pipes (it concerns all players). To my mind there is no sense in describing how exactly this function works after what has been said above, so let’s just note that disconnection of clients occurs very rarely here – usually all 94 lines of C++ code are executed for every new card dealt; moreover, such algorithm allows us to deal with hundreds or even thousands of opponents at once. And we haven’t described an important feature yet: figuring out if any one player is cheating or not. It can be done by changing the sequence in which people send us the result of their actions. The order should be random. If one client sends his action much earlier than others, he must have cheated somehow – either manually or with the use of a special program.

Michael R., conference participant

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To help control the distance between people in the workplace, the startup Landing AI has developed an artificial intelligence-enabled tool to track people’s whereabouts. It can determine whether people are at a safe distance from each other by analyzing video streams from surveillance cameras in real time.

For example, a factory that makes the masks and other protective equipment so needed during a pandemic could integrate this software into its surveillance camera systems. As shown in the demo below, the detector will highlight in red people whose distance between them is less than the minimum allowable distance and draw a line between them to call attention to it. The system will also be able to loudly alert and remind people to keep a safe distance.

The software is installed on the computers that control the security system with video surveillance, and the artificial intelligence itself integrates into the elements it needs. It is a kind of “mini big brother” who monitors every movement of the employee. But not to control whether he’s working or not, but to keep employees at a safe distance from each other. I remember seeing something like that in the TV series “Suspect” – there was an artificial intelligence machine that recognized the movements of every person in the city. It wasn’t really to control the distance between people, though.

Nothing prevents the algorithm from being refined in the future and using such a neural network to monitor a person’s movements on city surveillance cameras. The only thing that this would require is high-quality optics that would be able to recognize a face and characteristic features (gait, physique) without errors. And if a person commits an offence and the camera notices him, later on the neural network will follow him home. We think that such a system will be implemented in the future.

According to Input, Amazon has already implemented similar technology in its warehouses. Employees are also monitored during their shifts and warned that violating social distancing rules could get them fired.

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The new technology will be designed to improve the security of both security guards and inmates themselves. At first they will be tested in three correctional facilities. If they prove effective, the “smart” equipment will be distributed to other places of detention. Authorities probably want to equip all their prisons with them.

Artificial intelligence cameras are to be installed in bathrooms. To ensure privacy, some areas of the footage will be blacked out. The system will monitor and catch “abnormal” prisoner behavior such as fights and painful attacks.

The bracelets will relay the location of each offender to guards. They will also monitor their heartbeat and notify workers of health problems. The system is likely to help prevent escapes, murders and sudden deaths of prisoners.

By “robot,” prison officials mean a mechanical arm that will search for contraband drugs in the waste. At the moment, prison officials themselves have to do this dirty work.

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A proposal to start a discussion right now about security rules when using next-generation computers was made by EeroQ at the Quantum For Business conference in California. Project leader Nicholas Farina announced that the document is a starting point for a secure future.

The U.S. government is already considering the possibility that other countries could develop quantum technologies and use them in military technology. Philosophy professor Patrick Lin suggested that countries would have to sign an international agreement, even for those from developing regions.

Of course, quantum computers could evolve to the point where they could decipher secure data. Zapata Computing is the closest to that, having developed an algorithm for the fast processing of huge numbers. Quantum computers are already making their way into the world. In 2017, the D-Wave 2000Q went on sale for 2,000 cubits and a price tag of $15 million.

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Microsoft is disabling voice guidance using Cortana when making initial settings for Windows 10. It should be recalled that in 2017, the software giant implemented an option that gives users the ability to make initial settings of the operating system using voice commands. While this feature looks useful enough for some home users of Windows 10, it is a nuisance in enterprises, distracting system administrators with sounds, notes Tom Warren.

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