A number of companies, such as Mercury Interactive of Rational (now owned by IBM), offer automated software-testing packages as stand-alone products or as an integrated part of a larger suite. Research these software packages on the Web and trade journals.

Download and try any trial versions you fi nd. In addition, contact the software-testing staff in several local organizations and interview them regarding their software-testing methods.

a. Describe your research—what products did you find?

b. Compare and contrast their features and functionality.

c. Did the software testers you contacted use an automated software testing tool? If so, was it a home-grown tool or a commercial product? Did they indicate any preference as to which one they thought was best?

d. If you were the testing manager and were given the choice to purchase any automated software-testing tool, which one would you select? Or would you prefer to develop your own homegrown automated testing program?

Explain your answer.

e. What do you see as the primary advantages to using an automated software-testing package?