Re: New query: Scripting languages to support software testing

[jimmy -at- breck-mckye -dot- com]

Most languages can be used to script other components, they just need 
an appropriate API.

That being said, some languages will meet certain tasks better than 
others. Scripts are math-lite applications that don't need to be 
compiled into binary, but do need to be readily maintainable and easy to 
arrange into functions, objects and libraries. You ideally want an 
expressive language that can be used by your colleagues in tow. That 
suggests two options: either continue with your QA friend's choice of C# 
or work in a language like Python, which is extremely expressive and can 
be used usefully without _much_ prerequisite programming experience.

That being said, without wanting to query your abilities, I'm not sure 
if this is a job I'd otherwise usually give a technical author. Writing 
scripts should be seen as a kind of development, rather than an 
'advanced' QA task. Good script functions should be object-orientated, 
properly encapsulated and written for adaptability and long-term reuse. 
That's not something a non-developer can necessarily do, and it's even 
something I'd be wary of giving to a QA analyst. As such, I would be 
clear with my line manager that I might need a little time getting up to 
speed.