Pattern Languages of Program Design (Paperback)

~ James O. Coplien (Author), Douglas C. Schmidt (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Pattern Languages of Program Design is the first of three volumes of groundbreaking research on patterns, ranging from smaller-scale design patterns to larger patterns useful for software architecture and process engineering. Early chapters look at frameworks and components for engineering solutions to particular types of problems at a higher level, such as looking at patterns as "tools and materials" that can be used to solve problems effectively. The guide also discusses how to use patterns with interpreters and client-server systems.

Distributed processing is a difficult and exciting area of computing, and patterns presented in Pattern Languages of Program Design can help solve some of the problems of scalability, concurrency, and transaction management. These patterns include several business objects for managing transactions and accounts, as well as for optimizing queries across distributed systems.

The middle section of this text applies patterns to the software engineering process itself and several papers (including one intriguingly called "Caterpillar's Fate") show how the pattern movement can benefit software engineers and managers. Further material looks at the process of defining and implementing patterns. (Discovering patterns is only a start; learning to reuse them effectively is another challenge.) Final chapters look at patterns that manage state and events for real-time and behavioral systems.

Although the first installment of Pattern Language of Program Design offers a decidedly mixed bag of essays, it is particularly strong on distributed systems and provides a strong overview of some central thinking on pattern research, which is still relevant. --Richard Dragan

Product Description

Patterns are a unique and productive way to attack problems that recur in everyday software designs. The design patterns and pattern languages presented in this book offer a glimpse into what makes great software designers great. The book also offers a rare look at the rationale behind solutions to problems.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (May 12, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201607344
• ISBN-13: 978-0201607345
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #415,878 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Correction Please, March 11, 2001

By	R. Williams "code slubber" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, suffice it to say the one review here, aside from having nothing to say, could not be farther from the truth. I still open this book all the time. The whole series of PLoP books are immensely useful texts. To tell the truth, these compilation books of papers are, if they are good, in their own realm, far above what you will get from one author. Too much of the computer press turns out the 'work' of exhausted people who are clearly trying to spread a couple ideas across a whole book. Even the Gang of Four book is really a compilation of sorts.

Anyway, this book has many good things in it. Anyone who is interested in Patterns should have the whole series of PLoP books.

10 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The very beginning of Patterns movement, December 30, 1999

By	Christophe Addinquy (Paris, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is really reserved for pattern's fans, because material inside is essentially focused on processes patterns, and design materials are expressed in a textual way. Anyway, some ideas are good to be kept aside, but amount of such ideas don't justify the book size.