 | Amazon.com
If patterns are good ideas that can be re-applied to new situations, AntiPatterns:
Refactoring Software, Architectures, and Projects in Crisis looks at what goes wrong
in software development, time and time again. This entertaining and often enlightening
text defines what seasoned developers have long suspected: despite advances in software
engineering, most software projects still fail to meet expectations--and about a third are
cancelled altogether. |
The authors of AntiPatterns draw on extensive industry experience, their own and
others, to help define what's wrong with software development today. They outline reasons
why problem patterns develop (such as sloth, avarice, and greed) and proceed to outline
several dozen patterns that can give you headaches or worse.
Their deadliest hit list begins with the Blob, where one object does most of the work
in a project, and Continuous Obsolescence, where technology changes so quickly that
developers can't keep up. Some of the more entertaining antipatterns include the
Poltergeist (where do-nothing classes add unnecessary overhead), the Boat Anchor (a white
elephant piece of hardware or software bought at great cost) and the Golden Hammer (a
single technology that is used for every conceivable programming problem). The authors
then proceed to define antipatterns oriented toward management problems with software
(including Death by Planning and Project Mismanagement, along with several miniature
antipatterns, that help define why so many software projects are late and over budget).
The authors use several big vendors' technologies as examples of today's antipatterns.
Luckily, they suggest ways to overcome antipatterns and improve software productivity in
"refactored solutions" that can overcome some of these obstacles. However, this
is a realistic book, a mix of "Dilbert" and software engineering. A clever
antidote to getting too optimistic about software development, AntiPatterns should
be required reading for any manager facing a large-scale development project. --Richard
Dragan
Computers & Internet @ Amazon.com
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| Synopsis
Despite its negative sounding name, the positive benefits of AntiPatterns are enormous.
This book discusses what AntiPatterns are and then provides practical guidelines on how to
detect AntiPatterns and the refactored solutions that correct them. The authors discuss
over 40 different AntiPatterns in the areas of software development, architecture, and
project management.
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| Card catalog description
While patterns help you to identify and implement procedures, designs, and codes that
work, AntiPatterns do the exact opposite; they let you zero-in on the development
detonators, architectural tripwires, and personality booby traps that can spell doom for
your project. Written by a team of object-oriented systems developers, AntiPatterns
identifies 40 of the most common AntiPatterns in the areas of software development,
architecture, and project management. The authors then show you how to detect and defuse
AntiPatterns as well as supply refactored solutions for each AntiPattern presented.
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| The publisher, John Wiley & Sons
This book could save your project's life!
Patterns are popular in software development and used to identify different types of
procedures, designs, or codes that work. AntiPatterns are the exact opposite, targeting
common errors and issues that can cause a project to fail. This book provides practical
guidelines on detecting AntiPatterns and the refactored solutions that correct them. The
authors discuss over 40 AntiPatterns in software development, architecture, and project
management.
Are you headed into the software development mine field? Follow someone if you can, but if
you’re on your own--better get the map! "AntiPatterns" is the map.
This book helps you navigate through today’s dangerous software development projects.
Just look at the statistics:
 | Nearly one-third of all software projects are canceled. |
| Two-thirds of all software projects encounter cost overruns in excess of 200%. |
| Over 80% of all software projects are deemed failures. |
While patterns help you to identify and implement procedures, designs, and codes that
work, AntiPatterns do the exact opposite; they let you zero-in on the development
detonators, architectural trip-wires, and personality booby-traps that can spell doom for
your project.
Written by an all-star team of object-oriented systems developers,
"AntiPatterns" identifies 40 of the most common AntiPatterns in the areas of
software development, architecture, and project management. The authors then show you how
to detect and defuse AntiPatterns as well as supply refactored solutions for each
AntiPatterns presented.
|
| The author, William J. Brown , , 03/10/98
Knowing when to apply patterns is critical.
AntiPatterns tries to help the practitioner identify when and how to apply a pattern by
recognizing the symptoms of a bad pattern (AntiPattern). The refactored pattern deals with
both the symptoms and the root cause. We use many recognized and successful patterns from
the patterns community who have been very supportive in getting this book 'out the door'.
We attempt to make the whole process fun and easy to use. This is just the start of
AntiPatterns and we wish to get people energized in using them and developing new ones.
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| The author, Hays W. "Skip" McCormick , 06/07/98
In search of relevance, and fun.
When we began to write AntiPatterns, our primary goal was to produce a book that was
actually useful to people like us. After briefing the material to several peers and
patterns study groups, we are pleased with the overwhelming feedback that the
"relevance goal" has been well met. |
I really hope that you have fun reading AntiPatterns... we tried hard to soften the
very disturbing reality of the current software engineering situation with a healthy dose
of good old-fashioned humor.
| John Vlissides, IBM Research and author of Design Patterns
I resonated with one insight after another... |
"The "AntiPatterns" authors have clearly been there and done that when
it comes to managing software development efforts. I resonated with one insight after
another, having witnessed too many wayward projects myself. The experience in this book is
palpable."
| Al Stevens, Dr. Dobb’s Journal
I highly recommend this book. |
"I read the "AntiPatterns" manuscript in one sitting and was constantly
surprised by its insight and amused by its presentation. Many of the AntiPatterns the
authors describe could have been taken from my own experience…I highly recommend this
book."
| Kyle Brown, author of The Smalltalk Design Patterns Companion
I found it entertaining, and often convicting. |
"This book allows managers, architects and developers to learn from the painful
mistakes of others. I found it informative, entertaining, and often convicting. The high
level AntiPatterns on software architecture are a particularly valuable contribution to
software engineering. Highly recommended!"
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