black-box testing

At the ER/AU face2face Cynthia asked about black box testing.  I've found 
an advertisement for a product called, "WebKing."  It focuses on white-box 
and black-box testing of dynamic sites.

Here are some interesting quotes from the ad:
<blockquote>
-WebKing performs white-box testing by automatically generating and 
executing test cases to map out your site.  WebKing then displays the 
directories and dynamic pages that are generated by the inputs.
- WebKing performs black-box testing using user-generated test cases.  The 
unique RuleWizards feature lets you use "Graphical Scripting Language" to 
create rules that indentify the contents each dynamic pages must have in 
every instance. These rules help ensure that your dynamic pages wil always 
have the content, layout, and presentation you intended.
</blockquote>

Doesn't say much other than the buzz word "black-box testing."  However, if 
people are interested, a free demo is available at www.thewebking.com/easy.htm

A white paper on the site lists the following features of the tool:
·       Create instances of every static page (a page that exists as an 
actual HTML file) and dynamic page (a page that is returned by a back-end 
program such as a CGI, servlet, or script) available on your site.
·       Map the various paths through your site.
·       Test your site's construction (white-box testing).
·       Test your site's functionality (black-box testing).
·       Maintain site integrity (regression testing).
·       Test one dynamic page at a time (Web-box testingTM).

It would be cool if usability/accessibility were part of that list.  As it 
is, it seems that the information gathered by this tool is useful - 
checking for broken links, validating to standards, ensuring that every 
page is reachable, determining the paths that people could follow through 
the site, etc.  However, none of this seems to help determine the usability 
or accessibility of the site.

--wendy
--
wendy a chisholm
world wide web consortium
web accessibility initiative
madison, wi usa
tel: +1 608 663 6346
/--

Received on Sunday, 11 June 2000 21:39:47 UTC