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Programming is one of the most difficult branches of applied mathematics the poorer mathematicians had better remain pure mathematicians.

Edsger Dijkstra

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Edsger Dijkstra
Age: 72 †
Born: 1930
Born: May 11
Died: 2002
Died: August 5
Computer Scientist
Engineer
Mathematician
Physicist
Scientist
University Teacher
R'dam
Edsger Dijkstra
Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
Dijkstra
EWD
E.W. Dijkstra
Remain
Pure
Poorer
Difficult
Mathematicians
Better
Applied
Mathematician
Programming
Branches
Mathematics

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Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
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Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show their absence!
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Probably I am very naive, but I also think I prefer to remain so, at least for the time being and perhaps for the rest of my life.
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We must be very careful when we give advice to younger people sometimes they follow it!
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The ability of discerning high quality unavoidably implies the ability of identifying shortcomings.
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If in physics there's something you don't understand, you can always hide behind the uncharted depths of nature. You can always blame God. You didn't make it so complex yourself. But if your program doesn't work, there is no one to hide behind. You cannot hide behind an obstinate nature. If it doesn't work, you've messed up.
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Teaching COBOL ought to be regarded as a criminal act.
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Teaching to unsuspecting youngsters the effective use of formal methods is one of the joys of life because it is so extremely rewarding.
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There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.
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Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes, biology is about microscopes or chemistry is about beakers and test tubes. Science is not about tools. It is about how we use them, and what we find out when we do.
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Beauty is our business.
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The problems of the real world are primarily those you are left with when you refuse to apply their effective solutions.
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I don't need to waste my time with a computer just because I am a computer scientist.
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Experience does by no means automatically leads to wisdom and understanding.
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Production speed is severely slowed down if one works with half-time people who have other obligations as well. This is at least a factor of four probably it is worse.
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Besides a mathematical inclination, an exceptionally good mastery of one's native tongue is the most vital asset of a competent programmer.
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Testing shows the presence, not the absence of bugs.
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It is not the task of the University to offer what society asks for, but to give what society needs.
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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.
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The prisoner falls in love with his chains.
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