Despite a clear appreciation of the benefits of testing, a worrying 81 per cent have no idea what proportion of project costs are allocated to it.

The independent survey commissioned by software testing and quality management consultancy SQS revealed that although there was widespread acceptance of the importance of software testing, some companies are failing to carry this out adequately. Over half (55 per cent) admitted that they had experienced post-release problems during the first few months following testing even though three quarters of organisations (76 per cent) now give their staff testing training in-house.

“The research shows that there is a growing understanding within the business community as to the importance of software testing. However choosing to train staff internally to do this only goes some way towards tackling the issue” said David Cotterell, CEO SQS Group.

More remarkably still, each man apparently thinks he shares similar values.

Rudd had warm conversations with the two Democrat presidential apsirants yesterday and no doubt Republican candidate John McCain won’t be the odd man out when he and the Prime Minister meet today.

The Bank of New Zealand warned at the weekend that the economy was being hit by a “perfect storm” that would probably blow it into recession.

Dr Cullen today acknowledged it faced some stiff short-term challenges and a technical recession — negative growth for two quarters — could not be ruled out.

“Given drought, given the international financial turmoil, given the credit squeeze, given the housing market coming off, it would be foolish to rule out the possibility that there could be two successive quarters of very small negative growth at some point in the next year or so.

1) People should be able to direct $100 of their income tax to a charity of their choice each year.
2) To lift the adult minimum wage to $15 an hour.

The first policy is ok, although it would be much nicer if that was just a tax cut thank you very much.

I have some nervousness over this. It is one thing to have a law which requires telcos to record the content of text messages *after they receive a search warrant targetted at a particular individual. But this is about having the telcos store every single text message we send or receive, so it can then be accessed.

One word. Idiots.

Ian Bell top scored in a forlorn run chase, his unbeaten 54 one of only two double figure contributions before England were routed shortly before the tea interval.