Implementation Patterns

Citation

Howard, W.R. (2008), "Implementation Patterns", Kybernetes, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 371-372. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920810851258

In the late 1950s, computer users were very few in number but they invariably had one thing in common‐they wanted to communicate with their machine in the easiest most efficient way. Whilst we have come a long way along the road for improving human‐machine communication this book by Kent Beck tells us we still have a long way to travel. So many of todays users rely entirely on software packages and systems that have been developed over the decades. Coding or programming their PC or other computer devices seems to be of little interest. Often conversant with all the computer jargon of the day and having the practicalability to use the system they fail to appreciate the problems of the software developer, the coder or programmer who makes their machine access possible.

Even a glance at Beck's book should be enough for the average user to realise that there are still enormous problems of communication, not only between the user and machine, but also between the developers of software and amongst those who actually write the programmes.

What this book does is to attempt to ease the programmers lot by helping them not only to write good code but also to compose it in such a way that others can understand it and modify it with a degree of confidence.

Book reviews and reports continued implementing patterns

The author of this compilation is an experienced professional who has already contributed widely to software development, particularly in the area of software patterns. Patterns are designed to make the process easier and using them encourages us write simple, clear and well‐organised programs. The result should be that they are more cost‐effective and the right balance achieved in the crucial decisions that have to be made. What the author suggests is in many ways simplistic and all those involved in coding know what they should aim at. What Becker has done is to present us with a means of making improvements that will help reach these goals. He gives us over 70 new patterns which, he believes, will assist us in dealing with programming tasks and most importantly help us to write much more readable code. This should provide users of our code with a clear understanding of our intentions and strategy. Invariably programs will be modified in the future and despite all the best software practices of providing full documenation and details of the test‐driven development the actual coding needs to be without ambiguity.

The author makes his case by introducing powerful implementation patterns and by showing how they can be so successfully used.