It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration.

Quote by Edsger Dijkstra

Topics: Edsger Dijkstra Quotes

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.

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...

Elegance is not a dispensable luxury but a factor that decides between success and failure.

Elegance is not a dispensable luxury but a factor that decides between success and failure.

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...

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...

I mentioned the non-competitive spirit explicitly, because these days, excellence is a fashionable concept. But...

I mentioned the non-competitive spirit explicitly, because these days, excellence is a fashionable concept. But...

The lurking suspicion that something could be simplified is the world's richest source of rewarding...

The lurking suspicion that something could be simplified is the world's richest source of rewarding...

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

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...

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...

Many mathematicians derive part of their self-esteem by feeling themselves the proud heirs of a...

Many mathematicians derive part of their self-esteem by feeling themselves the proud heirs of a...

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...

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

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...

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.

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...

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

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...

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...

Aim for brevity while avoiding jargon.

Aim for brevity while avoiding jargon.