PNSQC Pulse - April 1, 2026
CFP | PNSQChronicles New Episode | Upcoming Events
QA Tales: April Fools’ Edition
Gmail Mic Drop (2016)
Google launched a prank button that sent a mic-drop GIF and muted threads. A bug made it replace the normal “Send” for some users leading to accidental mic drops in serious conversations. Disabled within hours.The 🚀 Emoji Crash
A single emoji caused a consistent app crash due to a Unicode handling issue. Temporary fix: no emojis allowed in production.The Phantom Mouse
A “ghost bug” with random clicks turned out to be a low-battery wireless mouse interfering with input. Not all bugs are in the code.Burger Emoji Debate 🍔
Users noticed that Google placed the cheese under the patty in its burger emoji, while Apple (and others) placed it on top. The internet debated which was “correct,” and the discussion went viral—prompting Sundar Pichai to joke that he’d “drop everything” to fix it. A small visual detail turned into a public QA moment.
Got a story like this?
📣 PNSQC Call for Papers is open — deadline approaching
Whether it’s:
a failure that taught you everything
a fix that saved the system
or a lesson others shouldn’t learn the hard way
This is exactly what the community wants to hear.
Why submit?
Peer-reviewed and published paper
Support and feedback for first-time authors
Real technical depth (no marketing fluff)
Travel stipend + Best Paper awards
Bottom line:
If you’ve solved a real quality problem, you already have a talk.
The PNSQC 2026 Call for Papers closes in just one month.
🗓 October 12–14, 2026
📍 Portland, OR + Online
If you’ve been thinking about submitting, now is the time.
🎙️ PNSQChronicles – Season 3, Episode 1
With Great Judgment Comes Great Responsibility
In the Season 3 kickoff, Michael Larsen talks with Paul Grizzaffi (FreedomPay) about what it means to be a quality professional in the age of AI.
Key idea: Automation is powerful but judgment is irreplaceable.
From hidden AI risks to testing systems we don’t fully understand, the “human in the loop” matters more than ever.
📍 See Paul live at PNSQC 2026, Oct 12–14 in Portland, OR.
📅 Upcoming Events
Fireside Chat with PNSQC Authors
🗓 Thursday, April 2 · 5:30–7:30 PM PDT
📍 Virtual (Zoom)
Thinking about submitting a paper but not sure where to start?
Join Ying Ki Kwong and Gwendolyn Avington, along with experienced PNSQC authors, for a casual session designed to:
Demystify the proposal process
Explain what reviewers are looking for
Walk through the journey from abstract to final paper
April Meetup: AI-Augmented Manual Testing (with PLUS QA)
🗓 Wednesday, April 22 · 6:00–8:00 PM PDT
📍 Portland, OR + Online (Hybrid)
Hosted by PLUS QA, this session features:
Ryan Wilder (VP, PLUS QA)
Gianni Zamora (Lead Dev, PLUS QA)
Learn how AI is being integrated into real-world manual testing workflows enhancing human expertise.
RSPV: