Saturday, January 24, 2015

A decade of software testing, how it all started

When you are having fun time flies!
Well, you could say that with me concerning software testing.
And I am a fun-loving tester now for ten years, a decade of adventure!
How did it all start?

Ten years ago I got the idea to become a software tester.
Pretty strange at that time because I just finished a Masters in Biology at the Wageningen University and Research Centre (WageningenUR) and was destined to become a bioinformatician.
However, specific events led me to this decision:

  1. I always was intrigued by computers: birds were my first love, but computers my second
  2. A summerjob introduced me to the world of softwaretesting: I had to test a time-planning application for truckers, exploratory tessting to the max!!
  3. 10 years ago biology was more in the DNA labs than behind the computer
  4. I did not want to be a programmer:. I can build, but I like breaking more!
So I wanted to earn money, use my brain and get some business experience.
Softwaretesting is then not a bad career move:
you get a nice salary, you have to think a lot and you explore different businesses.
When I was studying biology, I would have never thinked of working at a bank, a logistics company or a mbile security firm. Or spending your free evenings and nights exploring XMLs, identity protocols or forensic software.
And still I find enough time to explore testing adventures abroad.

Sometimes a bumpy ride, but with enough fun time.
Well, it's a jungle out there, and it's survival of the fittest, but this guy adapts and sometimes he wins.

Let's see how the next decade goes.
I am ready to go, are you?