The competent programmer is fully aware of the limited size of his own skull. He therefore approaches his task with full humility, and avoids clever tricks like the plague.

Quote by Edsger Dijkstra

Topics: Edsger Dijkstra Quotes

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

Aim for brevity while avoiding jargon.

Aim for brevity while avoiding jargon.

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

Perfecting oneself is as much unlearning as it is learning.

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.

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...

Mathematicians are like managers - they want improvement without change.

Mathematicians are like managers - they want improvement without change.

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.