How do I create an automation search test?

October 26, 2006 10:24 AM

AutomationMeta- How do I create a simple automation to search webpages for offensive language (job).

I am a Quality Assurance/Control worker, which involves repeated testing of web/software. Recent simple task is to check online scoreboards for games and see if any kids have put offensive language in names (e.g. FUxxx, etc.). I don't have barely any programming background, I am a manual tester. However, this task seems simple enough that it can be automated, like much other QA/QC testing.


1- Any automation programs/add-ons of proven quality and is Free? A co-worker mentioned a Firefox add on that runs like an automation tool. (I've witnessed Mercury products in the past, didn't seem too spectacular but did the job. I don't have access to Mercury products now.)

2- Is this simple enough for me to learn to do given limited programming background? I can understand/learn programming syntax in case my test recording/runs do skip a beat.

posted by redhotchips to computers & internet (5 comments total)

one of the reasons for Hax0r spellings is to defeat keyword searches. Y0ü Füxor! Automatically detecting cleverly mispelled bad word would seem to be a fultile operation that would lead to an escalating conflict.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:45 AM on October 26, 2006

couple the mispselling with words that are only "bad" in context and you have yourself a world of trouble. Case in point, I've worked for two different companies who have employees with the name "Lolita".
posted by mmascolino at 10:59 AM on October 26, 2006

You might can use a variation of plagiat - A perl script to detect plagiarism between files to do something like what you need, but it seems that the content would be short bursts of text rather than long drawn out works.

This does seem better suited for humans and doesn't seem like something that can be automated.

Maybe the custom Lic Plate lady at the DMV can help? Seems like theywould have similar issues.
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 12:07 PM on October 26, 2006

#mmascolino: I've worked for two different companies who have employees with the name "Lolita".

Lolita is a fine name. Zorro's love interest was Lolita. Unfortunately too much publicity about a name associated with someone bad quashes the name. I've known several Jews who have a grandfather named Aldolph. All of them call him just Dolph.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:30 PM on October 27, 2006

It absolutely is a fine name, but it doesn't stop people from making requests to the IT department that any e-mail containing the word Lolita is spam and must be blocked.
posted by mmascolino at 8:34 PM on October 30, 2006