Why does Java Pattern class use a factory method rather than constructor?
<p>There's a good discussion of this in the <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/628950/constructors-vs-factory-methods">general case</a>.</p>

<p>However, I was wondering specifically why the Pattern class uses the <code>compile</code> static method to create an object, rather than the constructor?</p>

<p>Seems to me to be more intuitive to use a constructor.</p>
