ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses various types of software errors, software tests, and assumptions about the distribution of errors over time. It provides basic definitions and types of software errors, including coding errors, requirements errors, and external errors. The chapter presents the types of software testing: tests performed over the life cycle, tests performed to verify specific results, software reliability testing, and software reliability parameters. There are at least five methods by which the reliability of the software may be validated. Three of these methods are deterministic, the result being either a pass or a fail. Five methods for verifying the reliability of the software are as follows: data collection and verification during the other tests; beta; system reliability demonstration test; software demonstration test based on testing time; and software demonstration test based on test inputs. The random variables with respect to software are the time of the next software failure and the location of the next software error.
