It is not really saying anything new, but it is saying it clearly and concisely and in one volume. A great book. The complete Guide to Software Testing Ohmygod, a mega boring book - of course it may be because I am not a QA person. I read this book because I needed ammunition for a little skirmish with our QA department and I wanted to be sure I was aware of some of the finer points of software testing. I feel sure that this book would be great if you are a software tester, but for me it was way too boring.
Testing is a discipline that is as important or more so than design or development.
These guys at Microsoft seem to like writing books, which is just as well really because they all seem have a lot to say. An entertaining and brisk look at the way software gets developed and how to improve it when it is going badly wrong. I particularly liked the idea that when developers get bored they start writing other stuff, usually not work related - but McCarthy put it that developers are like pigs and when the food runs out they start eating each other. I really enjoyed this book, it is a must for any developer or project lead stuck in some dingy, damp garret using ancient hardware and having to share twelve square feet with two other developers. It explains very clearly why we need more space, the right equipment and furniture, it goes into great depth about the costs of replacing a developer when they leave and it provides bags of facts, figures and findings to back up its claims.