General talk about software patterns

[Messaging Design Pattern <dsheppard2k AT yahoo.com>]

Dear list members,


Thanks for all your comments, questions and feedback. Please find enclosed a link to
the ACM version of the MDP paper:

Messaging Design Pattern (MDP) and Pattern Implementation
http://freedom.lunarpages.com/docs/MDP.pdf


Based on our earlier discussion, I've made the following changes to the camera-ready ACM version:


1) Scalability. I've updated the paper to reflect this interesting MDP application.
It didn't cross my mind while working on the paper. The contribution is  sincerely appreciated!
2) Implementation aspects. Several people have manifested an interest on implementation
aspects. A brief section has been added due to space/scope constraints.
3) A few changes (wording, etc) to avoid potential misinterpretations and provide further clarification.

Feel free to send any additional comments that you may have. Per our discussion,
the main goal now is to eliminate any areas of potential misinterpretation so everyone gets
messaging  right away. If you plan to send additional comments regarding this revised version, please keep in mind the following (per our discussion):

- Implementation considerations and code examples. You may want to
consult the references and/or the second MDP. The MDP paper does not cover
this area in a lot of detail.
 
- Consequences and known uses: Some areas are briefly mentioned (one paragraph).
We can discuss these areas.  On the other hand, I'm afraid they won't fit as
part of the scope of this paper. The paper is already 20 page long.
The scope is limited to the following:

1) Messaging Desing Pattern (abstraction, etc)
2) Design pattern implementation.

- Semantic coupling considerations (not in the scope of this paper -
This same potential "issue" is shared by traditional O-O approaches,
SOA technologies, etc).

- Please be as specific as possible with your comments. If possible,
quote sections of the paper. Similar to what other folks have done.
The deadline for this final version is a couple of weeks away.   

- In my opinion, the MDP presentation based on a realistic model has served its purpose. I hope it makes more sense after our discussion. I believe this idea can be useful while thinking and modeling software. MDP exists because messaging is everywhere.
In many scientific and engineering fields, Solutions and ideas can be realized by mirroring nature and the real world. I don't mind changing the  presentation/form if a better approach can be found so people get messaging righ away. Although the presentation is important for proper communication, obviously the main aspect is the messaging concept/abstraction rather than the form in which it is presented.

Obviously the specific scope of the discussion is "messaging" not the messenger.
General views/opinions not related directly with the paper (content, scope, facts, specifics) won't  help us move forward and wrap it up. Most of the comments and questions have been very relevant and supported by specific arguments. I'm glad that there is common ground on the key areas covered by paper (messaging concept, simplicity, scalability, component coupling, interoperability, etc).

BTW, I still have a few recent comments/questions that I have to reply to. I plan to do it shortly.


Best regards,

Al

P.S. The pdf version of the document (converted from camera-ready .docx) contains a  few formatting glitches.