Quote

An algorithm must be seen to be believed.

Donald Knuth

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Donald Knuth
Age: 86
Born: 1938
Born: January 10
Academic
Computer Scientist
Engineer
Historian Of Mathematics
Mathematician
Programmer
University Teacher
Writer
Milwaukee City
Wisconsin
Donald E. Knuth
Don Knuth
Donald Ervin Knuth
D.E.K.
DEK
Knuth
Algorithm
Algorithms
Engineering
Believed
Seen
Must

More quotes by Donald Knuth

Image
A list is only as strong as its weakest link.
Donald Knuth
Image
The designer of a new kind of system must participate fully in the implementation.
Donald Knuth
Image
I'm obsessively detail-oriented.
Donald Knuth
Image
I try to learn certain areas of computer science exhaustively then I try to digest that knowledge into a form that is accessible to people who don't have time for such study.
Donald Knuth
Image
I define UNIX as 30 definitions of regular expressions living under one roof.
Donald Knuth
Image
Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.
Donald Knuth
Image
It would be nice if we could design a virtual reality in Hyperbolic Space, and meet each other there.
Donald Knuth
Image
How can you own numbers? Numbers belong to the world.
Donald Knuth
Image
By understanding a machine-oriented language, the programmer will tend to use a much more efficient method it is much closer to reality.
Donald Knuth
Image
We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%
Donald Knuth
Image
If you find that you're spending almost all your time on theory, start turning some attention to practical things it will improve your theories. If you find that you're spending almost all your time on practice, start turning some attention to theoretical things it will improve your practice.
Donald Knuth
Image
There's ways to amuse yourself while doing things and thats how I look at efficency.
Donald Knuth
Image
My first program taught me a lot about the errors that I was going to be making in the future, and also about how to find errors. That's sort of the story of my life, making errors and trying to recover from them. I try to get things correct. I probably obsess about not making too many mistakes.
Donald Knuth
Image
Programming is legitimate and necessary academic endeavour.
Donald Knuth
Image
In fact, my main conclusion after spending ten years of my life working on the TEX project is that software is hard. It's harder than anything else I've ever had to do.
Donald Knuth
Image
I have a hunch that the unknown sequences of DNA will decode into copyright notices and patent protections.
Donald Knuth
Image
Random numbers should not be generated with a method chosen at random
Donald Knuth
Image
Meta-design is much more difficult than design it's easier to draw something than to explain how to draw it.
Donald Knuth
Image
I think people who write programs do have at least a glimmer of extra insight into the nature of God... because creating a program often means that you have to create a small universe
Donald Knuth
Image
I can’t go to a restaurant and order food because I keep looking at the fonts on the menu.
Donald Knuth