> Sometimes I stare at the monitor and think: Is it too late
 > to change majors?

Me too :)

 > Make It Work before you Make It Right.

But it sounds like Hal already has it working and is now trying to make 
it right. Refactoring to patterns is part of XP development lifecycle, 
but sometimes knowing where to begin what will be large refactoring is 
tricky. It certainly pays to be incremental, but that still calls for 
design.

Not a tool, but a personal coping technique: I find reading source for 
the Eclipse project stretching and a valuable source of practical 
software pattern solutions to complex problems. Some of the brightest 
software developers of our era work on the project and it is a mine rich 
with insight.

Other worthwhile coping mechanisms include sleep, a shower, etc. :)

 > But then (among other complications) the note has a title
 > (note.title) which is also stored in the GUI (note.widget.title) --
 > these must be kept in sync. :/

Unless your widget simply renders (or adapts) the model, then there is 
no duplication and nothing to keep in sync.


John-Mason Shackelford

Software Developer
Pearson Educational Measurement

2510 North Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52245
ph. 319-354-9200x6214
john-mason.shackelford / pearson.com
http://pearsonedmeasurement.com