Why are "smoke tests" called "smoke tests"? [duplicate]

Question

Possible Duplicate:
What is a smoke testing and what will it do for me?

Why are "smoke tests" called "smoke tests"? I don't get this at all. What does smoke have to do with it?

Triumvirate

Turn it on and see if it starts smoking. – Kowalczyk

Answer 1

See also answer to What is a smoke testing and what will it do for me?:

The term originates in hardware repair and has been applied to software. It's intended to be a quick test to see if the application "catches on fire" when run for the first time. As stated above it's just to make sure you don't waste a bunch of folks time by setting them loose on something that's obviously broken.

Subito

Answer 2

It comes from hardware. After you've assembled/soldered/wired everything together, you connect it to mains and turn it on.

• If you don't see or smell smoke, test is successful. :)
• If there is smoke, disconnect power immediately! (and figure out the problem before re-test...)

Paradiddle

Answer 3

Smoke testing originated in the hardware testing practice of turning on a new piece of hardware for the first time and considering it a success if it does not catch fire and smoke.

Aurthur