Test Automation Anecdotes

Software testing practitioners, managers and consultants provides in this article illuminating, educational and funny anecdotes about their experiences with test automation. The key points of each story are put in evidence.
You will see that
* Technical success is not a guarantee of lasting automation. You need management support through good communication.
* After the abandon of  automation maintenance, it is likely to die. For a better chance of success, you should choose an automation approach that will require the least maintenance.
* Automation should start before the software being tested is delivered, so the automated tests are ready to run the first day the software is released.  This requires good planning and test infrastructure.
* Automation development requires the same discipline as software development.