The Pattern Languages Group

Next Meeting: See Agenda Below
    Location: Space Untitled
        Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
   Questions? email Raj or Michael or Joshua

Once a week, the PL Group studies patterns and pattern languages about software design, architecture, analysis, concurrency and organization.

Many of the pattern languages studied come from the Pattern Languages of Program Design series, edited by James O. Coplien, Douglas C. Schmidt and John Vlissides.

The PL Group is currently studying patterns from the PLOPD 1998 conference.

What Are Pattern Languages?

Pattern Languages are collections of fine-grained patterns, woven together into a whole to provide solutions to problems in contexts.

Like design patterns, pattern languages help us understand proven strategies for solving difficult problems. In form, pattern languages are different from GoF-style design patterns. In content, the two are similar, though pattern languages tend to cover more ground.

One of the best non-software pattern languages was written by Christopher Alexander in one of his many books, A Pattern Language. One of the best software patterns we have read in the PL Group is Ward Cunningham's CHECKS Pattern Language of Information Integrity.