Written Pattern

There are patterns and then there are patterns that have been written. See also PatternsVsDescriptions.

There are many forms for writing patterns that work. I've heard concerns from several people that the motivational part of patterns, the context and forces, are being neglected in many written patterns. In the DesignPatterns book, I find it rather hard to pick a general solution out of a pattern. I don't find the "structure" diagram in the book, or the object models in Coad's book, sufficient to get the pattern. This is a counterpoint to the more commonly stated view, that every pattern must have a picture, some picture. Personally, I try to capture all the elements of a good pattern into a conversational style with no obvious formal structure. That way, people who aren't familiar with the trappings of patterns aren't intimidated, and will be able to understand my patterns without being indoctrinated into "the patterns movement." --n00b