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May 15, 2019May 4, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

The Continuous Obsolescence Anti-Pattern

As hard it is to spell the Continuous Obsolescence anti-pattern is easy to fall into. The lure of shiny new versions of products often leads us into this trap. We want to stay current with the latest features. However, the cost of keeping up-to-date can put us in a pattern of upgrades over enhancements. Defining the Continuous Obsolescence Anti-Pattern The wiki c2 site provides a beautiful, pessimistic view of this particular anti-pattern. [Click Here to See The Page] “Continuous Obsolescence: This is the hardest Anti-Pattern to overcome. Corporations have their pet system that they mutate every time a new computer language and/or buzz-word builder comes down the pike to the developers. As soon as the pet system is migrated into... Read more

May 13, 2019May 4, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

Spaghetti Code Anti-Pattern

The spaghetti code anti-pattern is one that has become less prevalent in applications. However, we can still see some excellent examples in the world of scripting and other less structured code. This anti-pattern typically comes out of short cuts and slapping together a solution. That makes it easy to avoid. The cost of repairing this anti-pattern makes avoiding it completely worthwhile. Defining the Spaghetti Code Anti-Pattern I am not often a fan of using the Urban Dictionary to find definitions. Nevertheless, it has an excellent summary of this anti-pattern. [Click Here to See The Page] “In computer programming, code which flagrantly violates the principles of structured, procedural programming. Usually this means using lots of GOTO statements (or their equivalent in whatever... Read more

May 10, 2019April 28, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

The Golden Hammer Anti-Pattern

The next anti-pattern we look at is the golden hammer. It is another situation that seems to come up often. Thus, it is one we need to keep an eye out for in order to avoid it. Defining the Golden Hammer Anti-Pattern This time we steal the definition from Investopedia to help highlight how pervasive this anti-pattern is. Note that software is not even implied in the definition. [Click Here to See The Page] “Golden hammer is excessive dependence on a specific tool to perform many different functions. In investing it is when a trader depends on one particular analysis tool or viewpoint to make all decisions. Golden hammers also happen in the business world when a company uses a single demographic or... Read more

May 8, 2019April 27, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

The Blob Anti-Pattern

We will kick off the new season with a look at the Blob anti-pattern. This is one that is common and easy to fall into. The tendency to kick design decisions down the road is often a slippery slope that leads to a Blob. Defining the Blob Anti-Pattern I like the definition of a Blob found on the SourceMaking site. [Click Here to See The Page] “The Blob is found in designs where one class monopolizes the processing, and other classes primarily encapsulate data. This AntiPattern is characterized by a class diagram composed of a single complex controller class surrounded by simple data classes. The key problem here is that the majority of the responsibilities are allocated to a single... Read more

May 6, 2019April 27, 2019 Common Anti-Patterns

A General Anti-Pattern Definition – New Season Kick-off

It is time to kick off a new season. Thus, we will set the tone by providing a general anti-pattern definition. Spoiler alert, this season will focus on anti-patterns much like we did software patterns of design a few seasons back. We will drift away from software design and implementation at times due to the more general applicability of anti-patterns. Finding An Anti-Pattern Definition There are a number of functional definitions out there. However, we will go to the source of truth on the Internet, Wikipedia. [Click Here to See The Page] “An anti-pattern is a common response to a recurring problem that is usually ineffective and risks being highly counterproductive. The term, coined in 1995 by Andrew Koenig,[3] was... Read more

May 3, 2019January 23, 2021 General

Success vs. Successful

Some recent pondering has me considering the whole idea of being successful. I think we can find success and happiness without worrying about being successful. On the contrary, a focus on success alone is more likely to lead us to short-term goals and fulfillment over the long run. Success Is Tactical The beautiful thing about determining success is that it is well-defined. We either achieve a goal (and thus success), or we do not. This is often a black or white situation. I either complete my tasks to find success, or I do not. The length of time required to find success varies, but it is often a single cycle or short period. For example, a team can win a championship... Read more