[Python-Dev] unittest's redundant assertions: asserts vs. failIf/Unlesses (original) (raw)

Steven D'Aprano steve at pearwood.info
Tue Jul 15 00:40:00 CEST 2008

On Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:54:16 am Steve Holden wrote:

> Python may be Guido's language, and if he wants to use his > dictatorial powers to say that tests must be written as positive > assertions because that's the way he likes it, that's his > prerogative. But let's not pretend that this particular bike shed > colour has any objectively rational reason, or that the change > won't force some people to have to change the way they think about > tests.

But sometimes even the wrong decision is better than no decision, and I suspect most if us can agree that it's better if everyone thinks about tests the same way.

There's a term for what happens when everybody in a community or group thinks about a subject the same way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink

-- Steven

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