How Could We Drastically Improve The Patterns Literature

We have a PatternOfBabel. How do we fix it?

On PatternOfBabel, I agree with what RonJeffries said about the problem of the "consensus" approach. Years ago I started the GreatBooksList. When someone added CorbaDesignPatterns? I couldn't believe it!

So I think we need a body of active, intelligent Patterns-savvy folks who will guide the new effort to improve the literature. But it will only work if these folks can spend quality time on the task - and that probably means it will have to be funded. --JoshuaKerievsky

To me the way to really improve the patterns literature is to create compendiums that focus on the problems -- while an oversimplification, patterns are solutions to problems in a context. The user of patterns doesn't want to read pattern literature, he wants to solve problems. So the obvious way to structure the literature is to structure the problem spaces and tabulate patterns by problems and structure the contexts within the problems, segment the anti-patterns from the patterns, and orgainize the solutions along lines of similarity. If we were interesting in the truth and not another patterns book I think that would be what we would do. --RaySchneider

Shorten the average pattern length by 90%.

Have many fewer things puporting to be patterns. Distinguish carefully between patterns, maybe-patterns and cute ideas written down in pattern form.

Has any serious attempt been made to produce a cataloguing scheme for patterns? (For example, a scheme which is to patterns what the Dewey decimal system is to general publications.)

ConstructionPrincipleForDesignPatterns

I've read so much about the need for such a scheme. Why hasn't a workable scheme emerged by now?

Is it due to the TotalInterconnectednessOfEverything?? (i.e. Difficulty in determining a workable, useful set of relationships between patterns independently of the readers context.)

Survival of the Fittest. Not all patterns have the timeless quality. Perhaps, periodically, we should collectively look at the patterns we have and determine which ones have survived (seen some recent use). Will all of the GOF DesignPatterns survive the cut? Will all of Cope's OrganizationalPatterns remain relevant? When should we review the patterns we currently have documented? Every 5 years?

--ToddCoram