Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

Dion Dock — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:54:39 GMT

I think what Jeff is trying to say is that people see the patterns and think "this is way cool" and then try to make them the hammer that solves every problem nail. In other words, the question becomes "which pattern applies" instead of "what's the best solution"?

Peter Norivg demonstrated that "16 of 23 patterns" were either simpler or didn't need to exist in a language like Lisp or Dylan way back in 1998, http://norvig.com/design-patterns/.

The bigger issue is that it's the Blub paradox: if you haven't tried another language, you don't know what you're missing. For example, a "foreach" iterator can remove a lot of for/while loops or at least make the current ones more robust (no off-by-one errors). But if you don't know there is such a thing, you won't miss it. Sure, the pattern solves the problem, but there might be a more elegant way to do it.

Another thought: if a language has a ton of patterns, perhaps it's not very powerful.

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

prakash — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:44:39 GMT

Only when you have time, resources, long term vision will you think of patterns. Otherwise you can follow only one patern GIGO (Garbage in Garbage Out).

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

MeetGeorgeJetson — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 06:45:54 GMT

I'm not a perfect programmer.

I can admit to writing code that I realize, in hindsight, was over-engineered. I can also admit to refactoring to elegant solutions, but in hindsight asking myself, why didn't I see that sooner?

Patterns help me both when I use them and when I decide they're overkill. Hopefully, I will continue to improve my aim.

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

ObjectiveCoder — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:17:51 GMT

Jeff should answer the following fundamental question:

What programming construct does almost every Design Pattern have in common with each other ? Answer: Polymorphism

How can a polymorphic behavior be made "simpler" ? I guess that he prefers writing large blocks of procedural if-then-else statements

GOF Patterns, Design, Conferences, and the Keeping Up Category

Loosely Coupled Human Code Factory — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:12:20 GMT

I'm starting a new category. It's going to merely include quick blurbs from your's truly and links...

Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

More required reading: AntiPatterns

More required reading: AntiPatterns

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

re: Are Design Patterns A Bad Idea?

GOF Patterns, Design, Conferences, and the Keeping Up Category