posted 13 years ago
In my opinion, the best thing about design patterns is the common language -- by documenting common patterns, and giving them names, it help developers easily communicate. For example, when I say iterate, I am referring the iterate design pattern, and many developers knows exactly (or mostly) what I am talking about.
<rant>
In my opinion, the worst thing about design patterns, as with all things, elitism. While I don't mind the many new patterns being documented, I really hate the usage of the names, with the expectation that you are expected to know it. I really hate the expectation that you are expected to know a subtle detail, about something that is supposed to describe a "pattern".
Many of these "design pattern experts" may know their patterns, but they seem to have forgotten about what makes them popular.
</rant>
Henry