Huh? DPs are simply proven ways to address common problems. Would it make sense for each of us to have to solve the same problems before we can get on to the new problems? Maybe we should all have to write our own programming language before coding our next business. Why innovate when you can just use an existing programming language?

Also, it's not as easy as copying a DP. There is a level of understanding required of both the pattern and the problem at hand to even know if the pattern is appropriate. I will take a GoF solution as at least a starting point to my problem over rolling my own any day of the week.