Get Involved

The Binary Regression Test (BRT) project is an OSDL open source project that always welcomes the additional help of volunteers in order to make the BRT framework and testing more useful to everyone. Whether you are a developer or a tester, your volunteer effort will always be much appreciated in order to help continue with the development of the BRT framework and/or application testing against BRT build sets.

Development Engineers

As a developer, you will have the opportunity to utilize or develop your skills in the following areas:

Linux or Unix programming experience
Knowledge of Linux system administration (building, installing kernels and packages)
Knowledge of client-server Applications (SOAP mostly)
kernel build process and understanding of build dependencies
Cultural knowledge of various open source communities (how they communicate and develop their packages)
Understanding of Linux development tools such as MAKE, RPM, deb, etc.
Knowledge of building test harnesses or test frameworks
Performing system diagnostics of problems encountered and working with the open source community to resolve those problems.
Perl, shell, C, and C++
Database expertise (SQL) is a plus.

Typical activities involve development of the BRT framework on both the client and server side. This may include such things as helping to create tools/scripts to do any of the following: install a BRT base image, verify build set packages and versions, determine build set package dependencies (this includes both build time and run time dependencies), install any missing build set package dependencies, evaluate client side system diagnostics, communicate information to and from the OSDL BRT database, invoke a binary regression test, capture tests results, format/create/display BRT test results web page, etc.

If you wish to help out with any part of the development process, please email the binary sig list first to get confirmation on what's already being tackled and what still needs to be done.

Test Engineers

A test engineer will have the opportunity to offer or develop the following skills:

Linux or Unix programming experience
Kernel build process and understanding of build dependencies
Cultural knowledge of various open source communities (how they communicate and develop their packages)
Domain knowledge of an ISV application being tested and the tools or tests used to exercise that binary application
Perl, shell, C, and C++ programming
Understanding of Linux development tools such as MAKE, RPM, deb, etc.
Fundamental experience in testing and quality assurance
Knowledge of test harnesses and test automation
Ability to perform system debugging
Database knowledge (SQL)
Familiarization with libraries used in the Linux kernel
Involvement in open source projects
Work with the gentoo build process

Typical activities involve setting up a test environment, execution of Binary Regression Tests, and following up on any failures that may have occurred. These can be broken down more specifically into the installation and configuration of a defined build set, composed of the Linux kernel and layered packages that will create a run time environment suitable for running an ISV application. Once the build set is configured, the test engineer will boot the system on the new image and run tests against the ISV application to verify that the packages in the build set do not cause failures from binary compatibility issues. If problems occur, the tester will need to be able to analyze the build set to determine the root cause of a binary failure. Once identified, the tester needs to be able to work with the open source community responsible for maintaining the package at fault and determine the proper course of action: either to fix the open source package, or if the change was intentional, to alert the ISV community of a needed port of their applications.

Other tasks involve the design and creation of system tools that aid the testing tasks for the BRT.

Conference Calls

Meeting times: The first Friday of every month at 10:00 AM Pacific time.
Join the discussion list to find out about the next meeting.

Call info:
Toll-free: 1-888-737-5834
Toll - 1-719-457-4158
Passcode: 698137
This call is moderated, so you may be on hold until the moderator joins.

You can get the brt dated archive (called brt.xxxxxxx.tar.bz2), as well as the base installation and portage version we are using, at:: http://developer.osdl.org/dev/brt/downloads
And now available through anonymous CVS:: 'export CVSROOT=:pserver:cvsanon@cvs.osdl.org:/repos' --> Use password 'cvsanon' and module 'brt'
Download the latest STP-devel source code :: http://sourceforge.net/projects/stp/
Join the binary_SIG mailing list to get notification on project and web site updates.: http://lists.osdl.org/mailman/listinfo/binary_sig