What do you expect from a pattern?

Starting from the discussion about prices, I’d like to approach the topic from the other side for once. I want to emphasize that this is not about the designers’ point of view. But of course designers also use other people’s patterns, so they are warmly invited to join the discussion too. What I’m interested in is what you expect when you choose a pattern—whether it’s free online, from a magazine, a purchased CP pattern, or bought somewhere else. I’d also like to explicitly include all the techniques represented here.
Speaking for myself, the criterion that makes a good pattern is that it gets me to the goal, meaning I want a finished result that satisfies me. I don’t care whether the pattern is only in written form, whether it includes knitting or crochet charts, or 100 clear photos; what matters to me is that the pattern is correct. I should add that I’m from the pre-internet generation, and downloadable PDFs didn’t exist at the beginning of my crafting career. What I had available for learning were magazines, where the patterns were often very concise. Nevertheless, I can’t remember a single pattern from that time that didn’t deliver the desired result, even if the pattern for a sweater in 5 sizes fit on half a page.
Today we are far removed from patterns like that. At least in the download area, many designers boast about providing 30 pages or more of pattern instructions in order to meet everyone’s needs. Have consumers’ expectations changed too?

P.S.: Designers, please don’t launch into detailed descriptions of how you handle this in your own patterns—this is solely about your perspective as people who do crafts yourselves.

I have to admit, sometimes the patterns are too detailed for me. But that depends on my prior experience. I’m pretty good at crocheting and knitting, so a brief pattern would often be enough for me. Not so when I want to try something new. With more complicated patterns, I’m actually glad when there are lots of detailed photos and the small intermediate steps are explained.
Since the pattern writer doesn’t know the customer’s skill level, they’ll probably tend to write the patterns as thoroughly as possible. Still, even with very detailed patterns, I keep getting questions that make me think, “What’s so hard to understand here?”
I don’t think you can please everyone. What’s important is that you stand behind the way the patterns are written and that you always try to do your best. And, of course, that you’re open to criticism. When I, as a customer, don’t understand something, I don’t care how much work the author put into the patterns—I just want help so I can move forward.

I just wanted to add that. Basically, I don’t care whether it’s long or short, as long as it includes everything you need to finish the piece.

A pattern should be understandable to people who’ve held knitting needles or a crochet hook before and have a reasonable grasp of the basic stitches, and it should deliver the desired result. Photos, where necessary, should be taken using yarn that isn’t too thin or too light in color, so that the steps shown are clearly visible. For me, clear knitting or crochet charts as a supplement are usually helpful. I think it’s great that you can ask the authors for advice if a problem does come up and then get a friendly response right away. If explanatory photos could be posted as an attachment, I would really appreciate that, since then I could just print out the pattern itself.