The previous column got me started examining why people create classes. About this time, I had collected enough patterns to begin thinking about the patterns book. Of course, at first I was going to cover all of programming/analysis/design/project management/etc. in a single book. This exploration was the beginning of trying to write the analysis/design portion of the book.

One of the things I like about writing a column is that it forces you to think hard about a topic at regular intervals. I'm the kind of person who dives deep into a topic until I'm bored, and then drifts until something else catches my eye. I get to study lots of cool stuff that way, but I don't really penetrate to insight. Writing a column returns me to roughly the same place every month and pushes me to find something new. The result is much more valuable thinking.