[cctbxbb] Native python unittests for the libtbx testing framework

[Jan Marten Simons]

Am Freitag 15 Mai 2015 18:07:33 schrieb Pavel Afonine:
> Hi Markus,
> 
> lucky you, I wish I have time for side projects!
> 
> I've been working on cctbx (and writing tests!) for the past 12 years
> and can't name any problem using "libtbx testing world". Most tests are
> written this way. Why I am not so keen to use an alternative?
>     - why introduce inconsistency for no obvious clear pressing reasons;
>     - I have no spare time to learn and get used to an alternative
> framework (again, for no obvious clear pressing reason);
>     - some rare developers (mostly postdocs that come and go) used
> Python test framework in the past on the code that I work too and that I
> have to maintain when people are gone. I find it is an irritating
> overhead for me dealing with these tests, so typically I bother to
> re-write them to use libtbx tools.


Hi Pavel,

those are sound and valid reasons from your point of view. But please also 
consider this alternative view:
Coming from other python projects people are likely to have experience with 
the python unit test framework. As cctbx is using its own testing 
functionality people might be put off from writing tests or at least have to 
overcome this additional barrier on entry.

I'm a strong supporter of sticking/moving to standards like PEP0008 [1] or 
pip/whl* based installs as conforming to those helps people to quickly find 
their way into the code.

* wouldn't it be great if one could simply tell people this: "To install cctbx 
simply type 'pip install cctbx' in your terminal."?

[1] https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/


With regards,

 Dipl. Phys.
  Jan M. Simons
 
Institute of Crystallography
RWTH Aachen University