[fao_]

> If you test this way you'll be sure to have a correct implementation for this dummy program.

That's the point. If the dummy program fails then your implementation is bad.

> Further, if the test fails you now have to try and figure out what component caused the failure.

Have you heard of logging?

> A unit test should test a specific unit; commonly a class. You should have unit tests for the interface of that unit (never private or even protected methods).

This is almost exactly what I suggested. I stated 'dummy programs' for individual tests because it's more modular and closer to actual usage than mocking. If your language has an equivalent, use that.

[alien_at_work]

>Have you heard of logging?

So your solution is to dig through log files to find the problem instead of read the unit test name(s) that demonstrate the failure?

>This is almost exactly what I suggested.

Well, it wasn't clear from your wording. It sounded like you were advocating integration testing instead of unit testing (which is a thing that people commonly do, so that's why I reacted to it).