Progress is possible only if we train ourselves to think about programs without thinking of them as pieces of executable code.
Edsger DijkstraRead
We shall do a much better programming job, provided that we approach the task with a full appreciation of its tremendous difficulty, provided that we stick to modest and elegant programming languages, provided that we respect the intrinsic limitations of the human mind and approach the task as Very Humble Programmers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of humility and recognizing the challenges of programming.
Edsger Dijkstra highlights that effective programming requires an awareness of the difficulties involved, a preference for simple and elegant languages, and a humble attitude. By acknowledging our limitations and the complexity of the task, programmers can perform better, leading to a more appreciative and effective approach to their work.
Themes
ProgrammingHumilitySimplicityComplexityEfficiencyElegance
In practice
Example use cases
During a tech conference, to emphasize the importance of humility in coding practices.
More from Edsger Dijkstra
All quotes →Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
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The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.
Edsger DijkstraRead
The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.
Edsger DijkstraRead
LISP has jokingly been described as "the most intelligent way to misuse a computer." I think that description is a great compliment because it transmits the full flavour of liberation: it has assisted a number of our most gifted fellow humans in thinking previously impossible thoughts.
Edsger DijkstraRead
A most important, but also most elusive, aspect of any tool is its influence on the habits of those who train themselves in its use. If the tool is a programming language this influence is, whether we like it or not, an influence on our thinking habits.... A programming language is a tool that has profound influence on our thinking habits.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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