Hi--

>So how do you test for sharpness of a given lens to determine it is a good
>sample? The classic newspaper on the wall shot or perhaps some other
>simpler method? Thanks.
"Edwin Leong"

Ah, that is the $64,000 question...! ;-)
I don't like the newspaper method (too many lenses
look too good/bad compared with results in real
picture-taking), and prefer to place a well-detailed
horizon line diagonally in the frame (both ways) +
two vertical photos (reversed, same subject area)
of the horizon placed at the top of the frame.
These tell me corner/edge/center comparison (for
relative sharpness, especially compared with the
probably-optimal center at f8), and if there is
two-edge/opposite-corners sharpness equality
(for alignment checking). Comparison with a known
good lens is useful.