Tester’s Arena: Contest 7 of 12
Pick two softwares (competitors) and prepare a test report. Compare and contrast the two softwares and include your analysis in the test report
Shilpa Reddy M [email protected]
Divya Joy [email protected] Picasa Vs Flickr
Test Report SAP Labs India Private Limited
Mission Our mission is to provide comparative analysis of two competitor softwares on various aspects like functionality, usability, sustainability, maintainability and performance.
About Photos are a great way to capture that special moment and now with many online image sharing softwares you can share those memories. Our test report here compares the two most popular image sharing and organizing tools - Picasa and Flickr
Picasa Picasa is an image organizer and image viewer for organizing and editing digital photos, plus an integrated photo-sharing website, originally created by a company named Lifescape in 2002 and owned by Google since 2004.
Flickr Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, and web services suite that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo in 2005. It is also an effective online community widely used by photo researchers and by bloggers.
Test Environment Desktop: Lenovo T430 , T530 Mobile Devices : IPad 4 (7.1.1), IPhone 5s (7.1.2) Windows Operating system: Windows 7 Enterprise 64 bit Screen Resolution: 1366 * 786
Test Tools Site Beam – Response and Average Speed XMind – Popular Mind Mapping tool
Test Techniques Exploratory Testing Criteria Based Assessment Mind Mapping Pairwise Testing Freestyle Testing
Test Scope
Using XMIND Tool
Test cases and Results
- OK, - Error , - Limitation, NA – Not Applicable
Usability Test Test Picasa Flickr case Test Scenario Test Test Comment ID Status Status How straightforward is it to understand What the software does and its purpose UT_01 The software’s basic functions? The software’s advanced functions? Check if comprehensive, appropriate and well structured user documentation is UT_02 available
UT_03 Check if it is easy to install Not applicable for Flickr NA as it is a website Check if all menus, fields and buttons UT_04 should be accessible by keyboard shortcuts
UT_05 Check alignment and spelling of all menu options, fields and button
Functional Test Test Picasa Flickr case Test Scenario Test Test Comment ID Status Status FT_01 Login/Logout
FT_02 Account setup and deactivation
FT_03 View album, display photos and videos
FT_04 Check picture editing features
Flickr provides searching based on tags, sets, FT_05 Searching all the content groups. Picasa provides generic search. FT_06 Sharing & social media
FT_07 Upload of photos and videos
In Picasa photos are Organizing and deletion of albums, photos organized as albums and FT_08 and videos in Flickr photos are organized as sets FT_09 Supports collage feature Flickr does not support FT_10 Supports all file formats Flickr Supports only JPG,PNG,GIF
Sustainability and Maintainability Test Picasa Flickr case Test Scenario Test Test Comment ID Status Status SM_01 Software identity is clear and unique
Check if it is easy to see who owns the SM_02 software
SM_03 Check if appropriate license is adopted
Evidence of current/future ability to SM_04 download As per the google trends
SM_05 Usable on multiple platforms Flickr supports limited platforms Check if the software works properly with Editing of pics in Picasa is SM_06 different browsers possible only in the google chrome browser
Mobility Test Test Picasa Flickr case Test Scenario Test Test Comment ID Status Status
How does your app behave on MT_01 interruptions during incoming calls
Check if the app changes its size and Flickr - In landscape mode, MT_02 alignment as per orientation editing options are not visible Check if all menus, dialogs and all fields are MT_03 working properly
Check navigation between screens and MT_04 pages
MT_05 Check pinch zoom
Performance Test Test Picasa Flickr case Test Scenario Test Test Comment ID Status Status Measure response time for initial tool PT_01 startup
Measure response time to upload images PT_02 from email account
Measure response time to upload images Flickr is slower in PT_03 from the local desktop uploading the pics from desktop
Conclusion
Picasa and Flickr both provide the features of efficient online photo-management and sharing application. Despite being similar in many aspects, there are differences between these two that may affect the choice of users.
Storage Both the services are good at providing free space for storing the images. While Flickr seems to provide unlimited free storage, Picasa limits the free space to 1 GB. Winner – Flickr !
Upload Limit There are certain restrictions to the size of uploads when it comes to using free services offered by Flickr and Picasa. Picasa has only one limitation; 20MB or less for each photo. Videos do not have any sort of restriction. With Flickr, each photo and videos cannot be more than 10MB and 150MB respectively. Videos should also not exceed 90 seconds. Winner – Picasa !
Image Resolution Flickr facilitates distribution of image at varying resolutions. When you upload the images, Flickr automatically re-sizes your images to thumbnail, small, medium and large. Picasa, on the other hand, offers just the original version of image. Winner – Flickr !
Search Efficiency Flickr facilitates search through tags, sets, groups and photo streams. Picasa on the other hand offers generic search. Winner – Flickr !
Social Unlike Flickr, Picasa has Google’s full weight behind it and comes with buttons to share images on Buzz, Twitter and Blogger. Winner – Picasa !
Comparison Chart
Features Flickr Picasa Owner Yahoo! Inc. Google Inc.
Created by Ludicorp Idealab
$49.99 per year to remove Pricing ads $2.49 per month for 25GB storage
3GP, AVI, ASF, MOV, WMV, MPG, MP4, M2T, MMV, M2TS No HD video, can upload 640×480 AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG (1, 2 resolution video, all will be played Video types and 4), 3GP in 1080p HD back at 320×240 or 480×360
1 GB free, can pay $5 per year for 20 Storage limits 1 TB for free accounts GB additional storage
1 GB storage; number of photos or 1 TB storage; max file size for videos not limited. Max file size for Free account limits photo is 200 MB photo is 20 MB
Photos on Flickr are Photos on Picasa are organized into Organizing photos organized into sets and albums. collections
Type of site Photo/Video hosting service Photo/Video hosting service
Yes, mature and Yes, but with fewer options than API comprehensive Flickr's API
Yes, including embedded Yes, including embedded Allows sharing slideshows slideshows
Allows geotagging Yes Yes
Statistics
Statistical comparison using sitebeam.com
The Final Recommendation
Be it Flickr or Picasa, both the services are strong and offer awesome features that it becomes difficult to have an inclination towards just one of the two. While Flickr is widely used by the photographers to maintain their photo-streams, Picasa on the other hand being a Google service, enjoys the benefits of integration of various Google services and is majorly used by casual photographers.