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+# OpenBMC Anti-patterns
+
+From [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-pattern):
+
+
+"An anti-pattern is a common response to a recurring problem that is usually
+ineffective and risks being highly counterproductive."
+
+
+The developers of OpenBMC do not get 100% of decisions right 100% of the time.
+That, combined with the fact that software development is often an exercise in
+copying and pasting, results in mistakes happening over and over again.
+
+
+This page aims to document some of the anti-patterns that exist in OpenBMC to
+ease the job of those reviewing code.  If an anti-pattern is spotted, rather
+that repeating the same explanations over and over, a link to this document can
+be provided.
+
+
+<!-- begin copy/paste on next line -->
+
+## Anti-pattern template [one line description]
+
+### Identification
+(1 paragraph) Describe how to spot the anti-pattern.
+
+### Description
+(1 paragraph) Describe the negative effects of the anti-pattern.
+
+### Background
+(1 paragraph) Describe why the anti-pattern exists.  If you don't know, try
+running git blame and look at who wrote the code originally, and ask them on the
+mailing list or in IRC what their original intent was, so it can be documented
+here (and you may possibly discover it isn't as much of an anti-pattern as you
+thought).  If you are unable to determine why the anti-pattern exists, put:
+"Unknown" here.
+
+### Resolution
+(1 paragraph) Describe the preferred way to solve the problem solved by the
+anti-pattern and the positive effects of solving it in the manner described.
+
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