Intent to create debian-test

[Philip Hands <phil@hands.com>]

Hi,

I'm going to write a package (``debian-test'' --- I'm open to suggestions for
a better name), the intent of which is to act as a framework for automated 
testing.

I'll write a few example tests scripts, and a program that will be used to run 
one or more of the tests present on the system.

I intend that other packages will install their tests into the area used by 
debian-test, so that it can then be used to run them.

debian-test will be the place for tests that are not specific to one package.

My current thinking is that the test scripts will be installed into:

  /usr/lib/debian-test/<packagename>/

Many of the tests will be architecture independent, in which case they should 
presumably be put in /usr/share somewhere.
 
All test programs will be expected to take the same options and command line
parameters (to be finalised).  I'll do a first cut, and put warnings about 
everything being subject to change, until it settles down a bit.

This is mostly intended for non-interactive testing, but one of the options 
that scripts could take would be whether they are allowed to interact with the 
user.  That way it could also be used for tests that ask the user to try some 
feature and confirm or deny that it works.

Cheers, Phil.