---
title: "It's an ancient and honorable term for the final step in any engineer… — Lois McMaster Bujold Quote #91 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "It's an ancient and honorable term for the final step in any engineering project. Turn it on, see if it smokes. — a quote by Lois McMaster Bujold."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # It's an ancient and honorable term for the final step in any engineering project. Turn it on, see if it smokes.

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://quotesby.net/Lois-McMaster-Bujold)\#91

[Engineering](https://quotesby.net/topics/engineering/)[Quality](https://quotesby.net/topics/quality/)[Technology](https://quotesby.net/topics/technology/)[Testing](https://quotesby.net/topics/testing/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Testing a project by turning it on and checking for failure is an old engineering practice.In plain termsThe final engineering test is to turn on a machine and see if it breaks.What can you take from it?Practical testing is the ultimate proof of functionality.

### Where it applies

- product launch
- debugging
- hardware testing

### Putting it to work

- test early and often
- expect failures in new systems

### Questions to consider

- What defines a successful test?
- Is breaking things part of the process?

### Another view

Modern engineering often relies on simulation before physical testing.

## More from Lois McMaster Bujold

1. > If you ever have to make a choice between learning and inspiration, choose learning. It works more of the time.

[Permalink to quote \#90](https://quotesby.net/Lois-McMaster-Bujold/90/ "Permalink to quote 90")
2. > His mother had often said, When you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action. She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehe…

[Permalink to quote \#92](https://quotesby.net/Lois-McMaster-Bujold/92/ "Permalink to quote 92")
3. > Just because we're adults doesn't automatically mean we can save you...

[Permalink to quote \#89](https://quotesby.net/Lois-McMaster-Bujold/89/ "Permalink to quote 89")

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2. > That's the thing about people who think they hate computers ... What they really hate are lousy programmers.

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3. > Piecemeal social engineering resembles physical engineering in regarding the ends as beyond the province of technology. (All that technology may say about ends…

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