Testing on multiple platforms

[Richard MacLemale]

> To: "'metacard at lists.runrev.com'" <metacard at lists.runrev.com>
> Subject: RE: Testing on multiple platforms
> Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:56:23 -0800
> Reply-To: metacard at lists.runrev.com
> 
>> It does not matter which OS I have.  My testing will always be on
>> that one specifically.  Unless you have 5 or 10 computers, you CANNOT
>> test on all OS's.
>> 
>> A Window's developer would need at least 4 to test on the various
>> flavours of Windows.  Minimum.
> 
> Or one copy of Connectix's Virtual PC. :-)
> 
> -Glen Yates

If your Mac is fast enough, you can maybe get away with VPC.
Mine isn't...   :)

I don't think this is a black and white issue, like "If you can't test your
stack out on 10 different variations, it's not worth it."  I think that for
a cross platform app, I'd test under OS 9.2.2, OS X, and Windows 98.  The
biggest issue is not the little differences between say Win 95 and Win 98.
The biggest issue for me has always been how stuff looks on the screen
between the GUI's.  Sometimes you have to adjust field sizes and font sizes
to look good on all 3.

There are also some slight differences in scripting, like the Mac supports
the "not equal to" symbol that Windows doesn't, for example.

I think you can get away with OS 9, OS X, and Win 98 if you want to develop
for Mac and Windows.

-- 
:)
Richard MacLemale
Network Administrator
J. W. Mitchell High School