Amazon.co.uk Review
Software patterns are re-usable designs that occur again and again, and over the last decade, researchers have been very busy cataloguing them for the rest of us.
The Pattern Almanac 2000 takes stock of over 700 previously published patterns. Sure to be a must-have for any serious software designer or project manager, this book provides a fascinating glimpse into the richness of the patterns movement.
For anyone who has followed the emergence of software patterns, this text compiles traditional sources of expertise. Among its pages are the "original" 23 patterns defined by Erich Gamma and the so-called "Gang of Four" team that in 1995 brought out the bestselling Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. The almanac also gathers the patterns published in the four-volume series Pattern Languages of Design 1 through 4. That's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg here, as this almanac compiles over 700 patterns from other books, magazines (including C++ Report), conferences, papers and Web sites.
This almanac is organized into about 70 categories of patterns ranging from "Accounting" to "Writers' Workshops" with virtually everything in-between. Each entry gets a short sentence or two of description, additional sources and cross-references with related patterns.
For programmers, there are patterns for C++, Java and Smalltalk (which gets well over a hundred). Because successful project and team management can be difficult, many patterns deal with more effective software design throughout the project lifecycle. Specialised topics include patterns for finite state machines, parallel processing, fire alarms and even patterns about patterns. (These sections look at some rules for defining new patterns, as well as running conferences and workshops.) Patterns often have short and sometimes evocative names. You'll find it all here, including early patterns like "Facade" and "Observer," as well more entertaining ones like "Big Ball of Mud," or (our favourite) "George Washington Is Still Dead."
While browsing through The Pattern Almanac 2000 will not make you an expert of patterns, it will introduce you to a world of expertise on re-usable designs. It's a truly valuable reference for any software developer or manager. --Richard Dragan, amazon.com
Topics covered: Reference listing of software patterns, analysis patterns, organisational structures, patterns for effective software design (including user interface design), patterns (and anti-patterns) for team and project management; C+#43; idioms, history patterns, patterns for multimedia and Web design, Java and Smalltalk patterns, databases, patterns for defining new patterns (and running pattern conferences and workshops), finite state machines, telecommunications, Smalltalk patterns, client-server frameworks, patterns for education, system testing, parallel processing, patterns for cryptography and security. END
Product Description
Every year, the design patterns movement grows, as more developers discover how patterns can help them build much better software, and do so much more quickly. Now, there's an exceptionally comprehensive, easy-to-use, and portable reference for every developer who uses patterns. The Pattern Almanac brings together key information about hundreds of the world's most widely used patterns. This is the first book that catalogs all the stages, resources, and templates of pattern development -- all thoroughly annotated, cross-referenced and sourced, so any developer can use them effectively. It covers both standalone patterns and sub-patterns included in collections. Coverage includes analysis, architecture, business planning, class libraries, client/server development, concurrency, databases, design, distributed systems, memory management, networking, performance, refactoring, transaction processing, and many other categories. Developers will even find patterns designed for specific domains, such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications.
