But aren't unit tests the half-assed solution? They are a wonderful help if you want to deliver something fast, but if you had more time you'd probably do something else.
It doesn't get said enough that unit-tests are not the ultimate in good code. There's a lot of shitty code with unit-tests, and there's a lot of really good code with no tests.
That's true, but a codebase without unit tests is apt to be deemed poor quality by professionals due to the time factor. Being able to release fast is an important quality of business software. Professionals don't look for perfect artistry, they want to see painter's tape in the right places to get the job done efficiently.
But aren't unit tests the half-assed solution? They are a wonderful help if you want to deliver something fast, but if you had more time you'd probably do something else.