I mentioned the non-competitive spirit explicitly, because these days, excellence is a fashionable concept. But excellence is a competitive notion, and that is not what we are heading for: we are heading for perfection.

Quote by Edsger Dijkstra

Topics: Edsger Dijkstra Quotes

Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

Mathematicians are like managers - they want improvement without change.

Mathematicians are like managers - they want improvement without change.

The ability of discerning high quality unavoidably implies the ability of identifying shortcomings.

The ability of discerning high quality unavoidably implies the ability of identifying shortcomings.

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

Don't compete with me: firstly, I have more experience, and secondly, I have chosen the...

Don't compete with me: firstly, I have more experience, and secondly, I have chosen the...

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

If 10 years from now, when you are doing something quick and dirty, you suddenly...

If 10 years from now, when you are doing something quick and dirty, you suddenly...

Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show...

Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show...

About the use of language: it is impossible to sharpen a pencil with a blunt...

About the use of language: it is impossible to sharpen a pencil with a blunt...

Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. Elegance has...

Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. Elegance has...

Programming is one of the most difficult branches of applied mathematics; the poorer mathematicians had...

Programming is one of the most difficult branches of applied mathematics; the poorer mathematicians had...

The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question...

The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question...

APL is a mistake, carried through to perfection. It is the language of the future...

APL is a mistake, carried through to perfection. It is the language of the future...

It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that have had a prior...

It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that have had a prior...

The students that, like the wild animal being prepared for its tricks in the circus...

The students that, like the wild animal being prepared for its tricks in the circus...

The traditional mathematician recognizes and appreciates mathematical elegance when he sees it. I propose to...

The traditional mathematician recognizes and appreciates mathematical elegance when he sees it. I propose to...

Object-oriented programming is an exceptionally bad idea which could only have originated in California.

Object-oriented programming is an exceptionally bad idea which could only have originated in California.

The competent programmer is fully aware of the limited size of his own skull. He...

The competent programmer is fully aware of the limited size of his own skull. He...

Teaching to unsuspecting youngsters the effective use of formal methods is one of the joys...

Teaching to unsuspecting youngsters the effective use of formal methods is one of the joys...