Code Curmudgeon

The Token Tax is coming for your unit testing budget.

One session in an agentic loop can drain your daily AI budget in minutes. Scale that to a legacy codebase with thousands of classes and you've got a bill nobody saw coming.

New article in DEVOPSdigest on why LLM-based unit testing costs more than it looks — and how to keep it under control.

https://www.devopsdigest.com/avoiding-unexpected-costs-token-tax-in-llm-based-unit-testing

"Walk through the biggest AI-driven shifts coming to testing in 2026. Explore what’s on the horizon, why it matters, and how you can start preparing today, without feeling like you need a PhD in AI."

Top 5 AI Testing Trends & How To Prepare - Parasoft Discover 5 AI testing trends for 2026: autonomous agents, compliance testing, AI-generated code validation, confidence-level testing, and self-healing tests.

Is AI the amazing prodigy programmer you always wanted? Or is it a monster?

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2025/07/28/is-ai-safe-for-software-development/

Flight systems are safety-critical, it's important that issues are addressed properly. This is how it's done:


UPS post-flight checklist After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems; document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots.

PILOT: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
MAINTENANCE: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

PILOT: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
MAINTENANCE: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

PILOT: Something loose in cockpit.
MAINTENANCE: Something tightened in cockpit

PILOT: Dead bugs on windshield.
MAINTENANCE: Live bugs on back-order.

PILOT: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
MAINTENANCE: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

PILOT: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
MAINTENANCE: Evidence removed.

PILOT: DME volume unbelievably loud.
MAINTENANCE: DME volume set to more believable level.

PILOT: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
MAINTENANCE: That's what friction locks are for.

PILOT: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
MAINTENANCE: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

PILOT: Suspected crack in windshield.
MAINTENANCE: Suspect you're right.

PILOT: Number 3 engine missing.
MAINTENANCE: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

PILOT: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
MAINTENANCE: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

PILOT: Target radar hums.
MAINTENANCE: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

PILOT: Mouse in cockpit.
MAINTENANCE: Cat installed.

PILOT: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
MAINTENANCE: Took hammer away from midget.

This week's podcast is about looking out for potential problems in AI for software as well as Agile methodologies. Check it out!

https://hubs.la/Q035r0wr0

New Year’s Resolutions For Addressing Agile Pitfalls and Adopting AI Innovations - Testing 1-2-3 | Hosted by Parasoft Kick off the new year with actionable insights on overcoming Agile challenges and embracing AI-driven innovations in software testing! In this episode of Testing 1-2-3, brought to you by Parasoft, Arthur Hicken (the Code Curmudgeon) and Joanna Sch...