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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.

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
Making
Prevent
Living
Tendencies
Decry
Use
Contribution
Algorithms
Science
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Patents
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People
Computer
Tendency
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Programming

More quotes by Donald Knuth

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The most important thing in the programming language is the name. A language will not succeed without a good name. I have recently invented a very good name and now I am looking for a suitable language.
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It would be nice if we could design a virtual reality in Hyperbolic Space, and meet each other there.
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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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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 have a hunch that the unknown sequences of DNA will decode into copyright notices and patent protections.
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A list is only as strong as its weakest link.
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The psychological profiling [of a programmer] is mostly the ability to shift levels of abstraction, from low level to high level. To see something in the small and to see something in the large.
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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.
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TeX has found at least one bug in every Pascal compiler it's been run on, I think, and at least two in every C compiler
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People who are more than casually interested in computers should have at least some idea of what the underlying hardware is like. Otherwise the programs they write will be pretty weird.
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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 define UNIX as 30 definitions of regular expressions living under one roof.
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The designer of a new kind of system must participate fully in the implementation.
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Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.
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It is much more rewarding to do more with less.
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There's ways to amuse yourself while doing things and thats how I look at efficency.
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Computer programming is an art, because it applies accumulated knowledge to the world, because it requires skill and ingenuity, and especially because it produces objects of beauty. A programmer who subconsciously views himself as an artist will enjoy what he does and will do it better.
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Beware of bugs in the above code I have only proved it correct, not tried it.
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The best practice is inspired by theory.
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Everyday life is like programming, I guess. If you love something you can put beauty into it.
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