Re: An Analysis Pattern for Inventories

[Neil Tiffin]

At 9:21 PM -0500 3/1/02, Dirk Riehle wrote:
> There have been attempts to patent patterns, but non of them was 
> really successful, and we are still kind of expecting a shootout 
> between a corporation attempting this and the patterns community (as 
> represented by the Hillside group).

This is exactly the kind of action we are want to avoid.  We don't 
have the funds or desire to be in this shoot-out.  Just to reiterate, 
we are all for patterns as long as we have clear rights to use the 
material.

At 9:21 PM -0500 3/1/02, Dirk Riehle wrote:
> But the question is what you mean by using patterns. For business 
> models? I guess a good textbook on double-entry bookkeeping gives 
> you all the patterns (in textbook disguise) you need to design a 
> decent bookkeeping solution. What's been called "patterns" most of 
> the time just means the description form and not the actual 
> contents, so the fight is on about the contents, of course, and not 
> the presentation form.

Exactly, that is why we plan to design our own system.  So that our 
system is based on need, our teams experience and intelligence.  By 
doing it this way we are free from entanglements.  We won't knowingly 
copy or use any patented, proprietary, confidential, copyright or 
even questionable material.  And each member of the team must sign a 
release saying they are not contributing someone else's work.  As an 
example, the code on your home page would not be usable by GNUe.  To 
use something created by someone else we need a clear definition of 
ownership and rights, the best is GPL, but others also work.

I think it would be fantastic if you wanted to bring patterns into 
the GNUe project.  Our delay at this point are the tools to convert 
the UML into usable form.  Without the tools, we will have to 
maintain the pattern and the implementation separately.  My 
experience indicates that one or the other will not be maintained 
without the tools.  And since without tools we cant use the UML 
directly I have in the past questioned where we will find the 
resource to keep the UML accurate.

Our UML tool is "dia". Our early discussions were centered around 
taking UML from dia and somehow generating something that GNUe can 
use internally.  That is still a great project for someone to take on.

Any takers?

Neil
address@hidden