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We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil.

Donald Knuth

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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
Forget
Premature
Evil
Programmers
Efficiency
Time
Programming
Root
Roots
Efficiencies
Learning
Optimization
Small
Debugging

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I have a hunch that the unknown sequences of DNA will decode into copyright notices and patent protections.
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Beware of bugs in the above code I have only proved it correct, not tried it.
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It is much more rewarding to do more with less.
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I currently use Ubuntu Linux, on a standalone laptop - it has no Internet connection. I occasionally carry flash memory drives between this machine and the Macs that I use for network surfing and graphics but I trust my family jewels only to Linux.
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The enjoyment of one's tools is an essential ingredient of successful work.
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AI has by now succeeded in doing essentially everything that requires 'thinking' but has failed to do most of what people and animals do 'without thinking'-that, somehow, is much harder.
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A mathematical formula should never be owned by anybody! Mathematics belong to God.
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Programming is legitimate and necessary academic endeavour.
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Meta-design is much more difficult than design it's easier to draw something than to explain how to draw it.
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I decry the current tendency to seek patents on algorithms. There are better ways to earn a living than to prevent other people from making use of one's contributions to computer science.
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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.
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An algorithm must be seen to be believed.
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I've never been a good estimator of how long things are going to take.
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The sun comes up just about as often as it goes down, in the long run, but this doesn't make its motion random.
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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%
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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.
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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.
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People think that computer science is the art of geniuses but the actual reality is the opposite, just many people doing things that build on each other, like a wall of mini stones.
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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
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Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.
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