Around here I'm known as MNicolai which is just an abbreviation of my name, but elsewhere on the internet (Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, Instagram), I'm known as Smoketest (aka smoke_test aka smoke-test as was needed
in one or two cases).
Smoke tests are based on the very provable electrical theory that not electrons travel through electrical conductors to generate electricity, but instead purple
smoke does. How is this provable? I guarantee that when working with electrical components if something happens and purple or blue
smoke starts pouring out of them that your components will cease to function ever again.
Thus, a
smoke test is when you first
plug a device in after working on it (either building or repairing it) -- if it doesn't catch fire or start smoking, that's always a good first step. Doesn't mean your
circuit does what it's
supposed to, but at least it didn't blow up in your
face.
There are also other varieties of
smoke tests. Software developers
call smoke tests when they first test a new
build and go in and see that the basic functionality is still there without serious crashes and contractors laying pipe for natural gas and water lines will
send smoke through the lines to test for leaks.
