Selenium News and Updates: A Smattering of Selenium 70

Short answer: “A Smattering of Selenium #70” was a historical link roundup by Adam Goucher, published on November 23, 2011. It collected Selenium-related reading alongside broader software development and testing links. It is not a current Selenium release announcement or a reliable guide to which tools remain maintained today.

This guide summarizes what the post actually covered, distinguishes its explicit descriptions from its unclear reference to Android automation, and explains how to use the roundup as historical context.

1. What “A Smattering of Selenium #70” was

The post appeared on the official Selenium blog and was written by Adam Goucher. It was one entry in the Selenium Smattering series. Its brief opening and closing frame it as a weekly collection of links rather than a technical announcement.

The post dates to November 23, 2011. That date matters: the links and descriptions reflect what the author found interesting then. They do not establish the current status, compatibility, or maintenance of any linked project or article.

2. What the roundup linked to

The collection ranged from Selenium-specific material to general engineering, testing, and software topics:

Topic	What the 2011 roundup says	How to read it today
Selenium Java and TextMate	It points Java users toward “TextMate-Bundle-Selenium-Java,” particularly readers interested in TestMate and Java.	Treat this as a historical pointer. The roundup does not establish whether the bundle is available or compatible now.
Writing Selenium scripts	“Mistakes: Transparency is Best” is introduced as a reminder about writing or interpreting Selenium scripts.	The post gives only a short introduction, not a detailed list of mistakes or a tutorial.
Test organization and tags	“Organizing Your Tests” is mentioned in relation to organizing scripts and test tags. Goucher notes that the linked piece omits tags, which the associated product supports, but does not clearly name that product.	Do not infer the product’s identity from this description.
Android automation	The author wonders whether an unspecified item will affect Android automation, calls it “pretty cool,” and labels the link “YouTube video.”	The rendered post does not identify the video title or explain what “this” refers to. The technical subject cannot be established from the roundup alone.
Ruby code distribution	“How Do I Create And Publish My First Ruby Gem?” is offered as an example of packaging shared code for internal distribution in large-scale automation.	This is a broader software packaging topic, not a Selenium release note.
Cloud APIs	fog is described as aiming to provide a common API abstraction across cloud providers.	This is the roundup’s brief description, not an assessment of fog’s current state.
Test automation practice	“The Secrets of Successful Test Automation” is described as a summary of a recent talk by Lisa Crispin.	The post identifies the talk’s speaker but provides no substantive attributed quotation or numerical finding.
Python optimization	“A Python Optimization Anecdote” is described as a step-by-step account of optimizing Python code.	This is a general programming link rather than a Selenium-specific update.
Visitor flows and test selection	“Introducing Flow Visualization: visualizing visitor flow” is suggested as a way to decide which application flows to automate first. The author adds a personal joke about blocking Google Analytics.	The post does not provide a method or evidence for choosing flows beyond pointing readers to the linked article.
Cartoon	The roundup ends with “Development Driven Tests.”	It is a closing cartoon link, not a technical announcement.

3. Is this a current Selenium update?

No. It is a dated blog roundup from November 23, 2011, not a current release announcement. Its subject is a set of articles and references, not a newly announced Selenium version, feature, or compatibility change.

If you are investigating a present-day Selenium issue, use current project documentation and release information. This roundup can help with historical context, but it cannot answer whether a linked tool still works with your browser, language binding, or test environment.

4. What the source does and does not establish

Established by the post: Adam Goucher authored it; it appeared on November 23, 2011; it links to topics including script practices, test organization, Ruby packaging, cloud APIs, Python optimization, visitor flows, and a cartoon.
Not established: current maintenance or compatibility of the linked projects, the identity of the product associated with test tags, and the subject of the Android-related video reference.
Not reported: numerical statistics or a substantive quotation from a named speaker.

That distinction keeps a historical link list from being mistaken for current technical guidance.

5. Capturing a current page for a test or documentation record

If you are researching a present-day Selenium workflow, you may need a screenshot of the page under review for a bug report, documentation, or a test artifact. A browser automation setup gives you control over the browser and test steps; a screenshot API is useful when you only need a rendered image from a URL.

For browser automation, use the Selenium language binding and browser driver appropriate to your project, then capture the page after navigation and any required waits. The original roundup does not specify a Selenium version or runnable capture example, so it should not be used to select one.

6. Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. See the API documentation for parameters and response details.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
    params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
    timeout=90,
)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Screenshot request failed: ${res.status}`);
await require('node:fs/promises').writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));

Cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are handled before the shot; each cleanup step can be turned off.
Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed. Responses include X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers.
An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.

7. FAQ

Who wrote Selenium Smattering #70?

Adam Goucher.

When was it published?

November 23, 2011.

Does the post identify the Android video?

No. The rendered text labels it a YouTube video but does not provide a title or explain the reference.

Is #70 a Selenium version number?

No. It is the installment number of the Smattering roundup series.