FIT, DSLs, and test engines

Peter has a few thoughts about Ward Cunningham's FIT (Framework for Integrated Tests).  He encapsulates the ideas behind FIT very well.  This post (and some of the challenges I had getting FIT to work in a complex problem domain) raises a few ideas, thoughts, questions, and things to ponder. 

  • Can you have an engine for creating domain specific languages (DSLs) that allows it to be used by just about anyone to create a simple, easy to understand DSL for just about any software problem?
  • What is lacking from current test engines that would help the industry get to a place where customers (business folks, end users, etc) can write executable tests for a complex problem domain, simply using their own tool of choice?
  • Is all of this just a pie-in-the-sky dream that can and will never happen?

This is something that has been nibbling away at the back of my mind for a while.  And I think it'll continue to work away for a while before I and we as an industry can come up with a good answer.

[Edit: categorized this post into a new category: Testing.]