Ride the Happy Path

No Problems, Errors or Typos Up Here

In software development, the Happy Path is a test or process which exercises the software functionality by providing inputs that are valid in format and correct, and looks for all results to be what was expected with good inputs. Think of it as the antithesis of Garbage In, Garbage Out. Although that statement does raise the difficult question: what's the antonym of "garbage"?  Happy Path is the boring part that no one is interested in, since I can attest that what really gets people excited is not the bulk of what a piece of software does 99% of the time perfectly, but rather the interesting little error that results once in a blue moon.

The photo above is from one of the happiest little shortcuts I have run across in a while. The smiley face just put the seventh sigma on the validation results (if you will). I love the gravel surface, deep shade on a warm day, and the whimsical jog to the right. And the best part: almost right behind me in this shot is a bat cave where thousands of Mexican Free-tailed bats roost in the summer. Pix or video of them some time this summer. They emerge at sunset, and skim the canal eating. It's their happy path. Get up. Go ride.