Octave Code Sprint Goal Announced

[Rik]

The first Octave Code Sprint is taking shape.  For more details, also watch
http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/sprint.html.

When : July 16th, 2011 (a Saturday) at 10:00 a.m EST (UTC-5)
Where: #octave IRC channel
Who  : *Anyone* with a passable knowledge of the Octave language.  This
       particular sprint does not require C++, Fortran, Texinfo, or any
       other esoteric skills.
What : A code sprint is a goal-focused gathering of computer programmers
       to hack code in a collaborative environment.

The purpose of a code sprint is to get people together to quickly tackle
a project that would be far too large, or take far too much time, for
individuals working alone. The goal for Octave sprint #1 is

            Reduce the number of untested functions by 1/2

The rationale for this goal is straightforward. The usual programming
cycle for new features is "code, test, fix everything broken by the new
feature".  Currently, Octave does not have a complete baseline set of
tests.  This means introducing new features, or quickly patching a
reported bug, often has unforeseen effects which break other parts of
Octave.  Our long-term goal is to reach 100% test coverage for all Octave
functions so that the new feature development loop can proceed much
faster.