Design patterns in the test of time
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I remember how important this book was to shaping how I thought about software. For the first time, I actually have the words discuss what I was doing, and proven pathways to success. Of course, we all know that… it didn’t end up being quite so good. In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code.
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
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I remember how important this book was to shaping how I thought about software. For the first time, I actually have the words discuss what I was doing, and proven pathways to success. Of course, we all know that… it didn’t end up being quite so good. In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code.
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
Terrence Dorsey wrote:
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
Of course they are! Design patterns make for more manageable and testable code primarily due to loose coupling. Design patterns are baked into the JDK and .NET frameworks, so you're using them even if you didn't think you were. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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I remember how important this book was to shaping how I thought about software. For the first time, I actually have the words discuss what I was doing, and proven pathways to success. Of course, we all know that… it didn’t end up being quite so good. In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code.
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
Design Patterns have a place but slavish adherence to any pseudo standard is a bad thing. There are also evangelists who firmly believe that if you don't know every pattern and how to apply it then you can't be much of a programmer - you always meet these people at interview when you get the feeling that they know the patterns but not much else - programming by rote. I'd say it was the other way around: they are simply tools and you use them when and where appropriate. You may even have a different name for the same pattern - like spanner and wrench - it's still the same tool with the same outcome. So, yes, they have a place if they help you to shape better code but not as a cure-all.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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I remember how important this book was to shaping how I thought about software. For the first time, I actually have the words discuss what I was doing, and proven pathways to success. Of course, we all know that… it didn’t end up being quite so good. In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code.
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
Terrence Dorsey wrote:
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
The book? Kind of, if you don't take it too seriously. The introductory chapter is pretty insightful. As for the design patterns themselves, I think they did more harm than good to the industry, exactly because of this:
Terrence Dorsey wrote:
In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code
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I remember how important this book was to shaping how I thought about software. For the first time, I actually have the words discuss what I was doing, and proven pathways to success. Of course, we all know that… it didn’t end up being quite so good. In particular, it led to Cargo Cult Programming. From my perspective, it looks like a lot of people made the assumption that their application is good because it has design patterns, not because design patterns will result in simpler code.
Do you think Design Patterns is still relevant today?
I'm not sure if you mean the book or Design Patterns in general, so to answer both: The book has its share of goodness, and yes I think it is absolutely still relevant today, if not more, (now that was the short answer if you meant the book :-)) which leads me to the concept of Design Patterns in practice. I don't agree with the first reply to this question saying that you already use DP even if you don't know about it. Well, every framework out there is hopefully built with DP in mind, but you don't use that code directly, you design pieces of software from higher level bits, sure, but you still have to create your own OOP structures, and the basics of a modern application and here I believe that Design Patterns are equally important today, and probably will be for as long as there is Object Oriented Programming involved. How do you best create the application structure with interfaces, classes, inheritance, the works? This is what Design Patterns is all about! So, still important, for sure... ;) Certainty of death, small chance of success... What are we waiting for?