Top 10 reasons software testing is a cool profession

10. No software testing…no software! 
Without testing, software is worthless - software testing does not make software, it makes software usable.

9. You save your company’s face and money (The bottom line). 
You catch bugs so that the customers don’t have to deal with them-when the customers have to deal with bugs, it will cost your company a lot more (i.e., money, reputation, time, etc.).

8. You help people sleep better at night (The confidence). 
Nowadays, software is everywhere. When software testing is done well, it gives your company or clients confidence in the software-everyone can sleep better at night. You provide the critical information for the entire team to have confidence in the product. 

7. You make a lot of people happy (The joy).Well tested software leads to consistent quality products that meet customer needs in a user-friendly manner-your customers and sales staff will be happy; you live up to your marketing claims; you deliver products to sales channel and customers timely; you eliminate embarrassments. You provide information without getting political.

6. Software testing offers you opportunities to constantly be exposed with the latest and the greatest. 
Software testing is a continued changing and learning discipline-you constantly have to keep up with new ways of doing testing to keep up with development methods, new platform technologies, new product innovations and new ways of how software products are used. It gives you exposure to more than software alone. It has a business analysis component. To be a good tester you will have to learn about the business of the customers. And for each project that can be something different, from financial industry to oil companies, to cell phones, games, etc.

5. Software testing is highly intellectually, analytically and creatively demanding. 
Software testing offers you opportunity to fully utilize your critical thinking and creativity to discover or see things that others do not see. It can be interesting, and intellectually challenging. You have to think out of the box- think of things and situations that others have overlooked. If those elusive bugs were easy to find, they probably wouldn't be there. It is less technological focused than software development, but it does not mean inferiority. You don't have to be a programming enthusiast to be a good software test engineer. But you have to have good analytical and creative skills, which you can also develop further in this profession.

4. Many can do it, but few can do it well.
There are still relatively few people specialized in software testing. In particular there are relatively few people who are good at it.

3. Software testing will always be a much needed profession.
Certainties in life: Death, taxes and bugs in code! Testing is around 30% up to 40% of all software development efforts. There is always a need.

2. Software testing is a challenging and rewarding profession.
While software developers often work with one or more parts of the software but not in whole, software test engineers have opportunities to work with the product as from end-to-end (the product is more than software), as well as at a very deep level of details. To do testing well, it requires a good mix of software testing skills, IT technical skills, domain expertise, project management and communication skills. Software testing requires a lot of communication and language skills (e.g., English if you work with an US-based development team). The better communication language skills you possess, the higher your compensation will be. Testing is the bridge from development to customers, user advocates, so you learn more about the business needs and customers. Good testing is about business modeling, user analysis, understanding the market.

1. Software testing is a well compensated profession with ample opportunity for fast-paced career advancement.
It has been an under-studied discipline and an industry that still offers a lot of room to learn, pioneer and innovate. Therefore, it offers plenty of opportunities to quickly advance in your career, be well compensated and/or become thought-leaders. In software testing profession, there are many opportunities for growth. You can become senior engineer, project lead, project manager, line manager, director, etc.

A candid photograph is a photograph captured through motion mostly, without creating a posed appearance. This is achieved by avoiding prior preparation of the subject and by either surprising the subject or by not distracting the subject during the process of taking photos. Thus, the candid character of a photo is regardless of the subject's knowledge or consent as to the fact that photos are being taken, and regardless of the subject's permission for subsequent usage such as distribution, but related to the apparent absence of posing. It is distinguished from making secret photography by the photographer usually remaining discernible to the public and not wearing cover.

Some professional photographers develop candid photography into an art form. Henri Cartier-Bresson might be considered the master of the art of candid photography, capturing the "decisive moment" in everyday life over a span of several decades. Arthur Fellig, better known as Weegee, was one of the great photographers to document life in the streets of New York to often capture life — and death — at their rawest edges.

Almost all successful photographers in the field of candid photography master the art of making people relax and feel at ease around the camera, they master the art of blending in at parties, of finding acceptance despite an obvious intrusive element - the camera. This is certainly true for most celebrity photographers.

What is Candid Photography?

Let’s start at the beginning. Some of you may have heard people talk about candid photography, but have no idea what they mean. The answer to what is candid photography is simple: if you’ve ever watched “America’s Funniest Videos” or “Candid Camera” you already know.

Candid photography means taking pictures of people when they are acting naturally. The dictionary defines Candid as meaning: “Informal; Unposed.” So essentially, it means taking a picture of someone just being themselves. The answer to what is candid photography is that simple.

There are many types of photography, and it may be helpful to consider them in defining what is candid photography. The clearest contrast is between a portrait and a candid photo. For example, with portrait photography, someone is posing, they are aware of the camera, and the photographer may be asking them to make a specific face. In contrast, with a candid photograph, the subject may not even be aware of the camera, or they may not have a chance to compose themselves.

Types of Candid Photography

Now that we know what c0andid photography is, it’s time to learn about the different sub-types of candid photography. Yes, even among candid photography there are still sub-categories. I believe there are 2 main types of candid photography:

1. Street Photography
2. Reaction Photography

Defining Street Photography

Street photography involves going out on the street and observing people in their natural habitat. This could be a homeless man begging on the street, a runner sweating in the heat, or even a couple walking hand in hand. The point of this type of photo is to document external human life in its most natural environment.

Defining Reaction Photography

Reaction photography involves photographing someone’s natural reactions. They may be aware of the camera, but in the exact moment of the photo, they are being themselves instead of posing.

A great example would be a surprise engagement. Surprise engagement photo ideas are wonderful, because even if she sees the camera, she will be so over come with emotion that the photographer will be able to capture her natural reaction. In a sense though the answer to “what is candid photography?” is up to you the photography. At the end of the day, the point of this type of photo is to document internal human life in its most natural environment.

Mastering Candid Photography

Once you decide that you want to take candid photographs, you need to figure out how to do so. Don’t worry – it’s easy!

My number 1 piece of advice is to simply get out there and take lots of photos! And by take lots of photos, I mean LOTS of photos. The best part of digital photography is that you don’t have to pay for film. Review your photos shortly after taking them and give yourself an honest critique. This fast feedback loop will help you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

Even after you’ve mastered how to be a candid photographer, you need to continue to find interesting subjects. So keep learning cool photography ideas to keep yourself interested and your skills constantly evolving. I hope you continue to learn more about what is candid photography!

Becoming a Candid Photographer

Candid photography can be an incredibly enjoyable hobby. It gives you an excuse to get out in your city and explore corners you’ve never seen. When you go on a vacation, you have a lot more options than just photographing the same old landmarks that everyone else photographs. And being a skilled candid photographer comes especially in handy for capturing life’s special moments.

I hope you found this guide and this website helpful in improving your candid photography skills and answering the question “what is candid photography.” Please let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with. And if you enjoyed this site, please share it with your friends!

Bermuda Triangle Mystery

The U. S. Board of Geographic Names does not recognize the Bermuda Triangle as an official name and does not maintain an official file on the area.

The "Bermuda or Devil's Triangle" is an imaginary area located off the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States, which is noted for a high incidence of unexplained losses of ships, small boats, and aircraft. The apexes of the triangle are generally accepted to be Bermuda, Miami, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In the past, extensive, but futile Coast Guard searches prompted by search and rescue cases such as the disappearances of an entire squadron of TBM Avengers shortly after take off from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., or the traceless sinking of USS Cyclops and Marine Sulphur Queen have lent credence to the popular belief in the mystery and the supernatural qualities of the "Bermuda Triangle."

Countless theories attempting to explain the many disappearances have been offered throughout the history of the area. The most practical seem to be environmental and those citing human error. The majority of disappearances can be attributed to the area's unique environmental features. First, the "Devil's Triangle" is one of the two places on earth that a magnetic compass does point towards true north. Normally it points toward magnetic north. The difference between the two is known as compass variation. The amount of variation changes by as much as 20 degrees as one circumnavigates the earth. If this compass variation or error is not compensated for, a navigator could find himself far off course and in deep trouble.

An area called the "Devil's Sea" by Japanese and Filipino seamen, located off the east coast of Japan, also exhibits the same magnetic characteristics. It is also known for its mysterious disappearances.

Another environmental factor is the character of the Gulf Stream. It is extremely swift and turbulent and can quickly erase any evidence of a disaster. The unpredictable Caribbean-Atlantic weather pattern also plays its role. Sudden local thunder storms and water spouts often spell disaster for pilots and mariners.

Finally, the topography of the ocean floor varies from extensive shoals around the islands to some of the deepest marine trenches in the world. With the interaction of the strong currents over the many reefs the topography is in a state of constant flux and development of new navigational hazards is swift.Not to be under estimated is the human error factor. A large number of pleasure boats travel the waters between Florida's Gold Coast and the Bahamas. All too often, crossings are attempted with too small a boat, insufficient knowledge of the area's hazards, and a lack of good seamanship.

The Coast Guard, and most other official sources are not impressed with supernatural explanations of disasters at sea. It has been their experience that the combined forces of nature and unpredictability of mankind outdo even the most far fetched science fiction many times each year.

Brain–computer interface

Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a collaboration between a brain and a device that enables signals from the brain to direct some external activity, such as control of a cursor or a prosthetic limb. The interface enables a direct communications pathway between the brain and the object to be controlled. In the case of cursor control, for example, the signal is transmitted directly from the brain to the mechanism directing the cursor, rather than taking the normal route through the body's neuromuscular system from the brain to the finger on a mouse.

By reading signals from an array of neurons and using computer chips and programs to translate the signals into action, BCI can enable a person suffering from paralysis to write a book or control a motorized wheelchair or prosthetic limb through thought alone. Current brain-interface devices require deliberate conscious thought; some future applications, such as prosthetic control, are likely to work effortlessly. One of the biggest challenges in developing BCI technology has been the development of electrode devices and/or surgical methods that are minimally invasive. In the traditional BCI model, the brain accepts an implanted mechanical device and controls the device as a natural part of its representation of the body. Much current research is focused on the potential on non-invasive BCI.

At the European Research and Innovation Exhibition in Paris in June 2006, American scientist Peter Brunner composed a message simply by concentrating on a display. Brunner wore a close-fitting (but completely external) cap fitted with a number of electrodes. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity from Brunner's brain was picked up by the cap's electrodes and the information used, along with software, to identify specific letters or characters for the message.

The BCI Brunner demonstrated is based on a method called the Wadsworth system. Like other EEG-based BCI technologies, the Wadsworth system uses adaptive algorithm s and pattern-matching techniques to facilitate communication. Both user and software are expected to adapt and learn, making the process more efficient with practice.

During the presentation, a message was displayed from an American neurobiologist who uses the system to continue working, despite suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Although the scientist can no longer move even his eyes, he was able to send the following e-mail message: "I am a neuroscientist wHo (sic) couldn't work without BCI. I am writing this with my EEG courtesy of the Wadsworth Center Brain-Computer Interface Research Program."

DARPA , the independent research branch of the U.S. Department of Defense that helped fund the Internet, is among the organizations funding research into BCI.