>Hmm. I read it the same you did, I think. If a mediator is *supposed* to be a part of the middle tier or a business peer (is that a pun or a rhyme?) then, it matches my idea. But now I hear it's an over used designed pattern, in some folks opinion. So, where does that leave us? Back to using _access and _assign with gay abandon?
>

Over used? Naaaa..... Whenever you use a design pattern to meet a specific need based on that particular pattern's functionality being best suited for a job, how can you be over using it? But I would agree that perhaps Mediator is on of the most written about GOF pattern as far as implementation approaches, especially in the Fox community. But so is Bridge... Point is a good developer shouldn't be using patterns just to say "Oh yeah, I use this, that, and the other" and do the proverbial buzz word slinging. Instead, a good developer should take an intent of a pattern and apply to a problem and see if there is a nice fit. Besides, what really makes a design pattern an accepted standard? Use, use, and more use.

Just my US $.02 worth (as cup #2 kicks in ;) )