[Biopython-dev] Continuous integration server

[Tiago Antão]

Hi all,

I've been hacking with buildbot, an integration server. This is to
allow continuous testing of Biopython. So that we are alerted of any
problems as soon as somebody does a dreadful commit (I have the top 5
of most dreadful commits, so it was fair that I should try to do
something about it).

Things are still incomplete, but I think it is time to inform the list
of this effort...

To know more about buildbot you can either go to the buildbot site
http://buildbot.net/ or see the draft doc that I have been preparing
http://biopython.org/wiki/Continuous_integration
There is a draft server here:
http://events.open-bio.org:8010/
The cool thing about buildbot is that actual testing is done by
volunteer computers. Want to test on OS y, Python version z? You can
offer the idle time of your laptop for that...

Obvious things missing:

0. First and foremost, see if people like this?
1. Changing the biopython test code to avoid stressing the network
(i.e., having a run_tests option that will not test network tests).
This to avoid imposing continuous traffic on genbank and friends. This
is a show stopper.
2. Maybe warn the mailing list when some fundamental build stops
working (e.g. send an email when a python 2.x build stops working)
3. Have test servers with all the applications installed (do you want
to volunteer? This is more to do with volunteers)
4. Maybe change run_tests to require all tests to be done. If we are
doing integration testing, we want all tests to be done (missing
applications or libraries should be an error). As an example, none of
my tests are complete
5. Support mac (my access to Mr Job's fashion machines is limited).
Again this is more a volunteer issue.
6. Discuss policies: One test a day? Full tests or updates? Full
network tests (probably sporadically)? Send emails?
7. Find volunteers to cover several OSes and several Python versions.
Assure that people do full tests (i.e. with all applications and
libraries)
8. While I have volunteer Windows testing myself, I will not be able
to maintain it regularly.

Opinions are most welcome

-- 
"If you want to get laid, go to college.  If you want an education, go
to the library." - Frank Zappa