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Edsger Dijkstra Quotes

Computer Scientist

Edsger Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist known for his contributions to algorithms and programming language design. His work in graph theory, algorithm analysis, and formal methods had a profound impact on the field of computer science.

Famous Edsger Dijkstra Quotes

“...Simplifications have had a much greater long-range scientific impact than individual feats of ingenuity. The opportunity for simplification is very encouraging, because in all examples that come to mind the simple and elegant systems tend to be easier and faster to design and get right, more efficient in execution, and much more reliable than the more contrived contraptions that have to be debugged into some degree of acceptability....Simplicity and elegance are unpopular because they require hard work and discipline to achieve and education to be appreciated.”

“Elegance is not a dispensable luxury but a factor that decides between success and failure.”

Factors Luxury Congratulations Elegance Success And Failure Dispensable

Author:Edsger Dijkstra

“Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. Elegance has the disadvantage, if that's what it is, that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it.”

Ifs Littles Hard Reality Found Achieve Hard Work Needed Appreciate Following Elegance Disadvantages Good Education

Author:Edsger Dijkstra

“Simplicity is a great virtue but it requires hard work to achieve it and education to appreciate it. And to make matters worse: complexity sells better.”

Matter Hard Virtue Achieve Hard Work Appreciate Sells Simplicity Complexity Programming Elegance Simplicity And Elegance

Author:Edsger Dijkstra

“Simplicity and elegance are unpopular because they require hard work and discipline to achieve and education to be appreciated.”

Hard Achieve Design Hard Work Discipline Simplicity Programming Software Appreciated Elegance Computer Programming Software Design Simplicity And Elegance

Author:Edsger Dijkstra

“The traditional mathematician recognizes and appreciates mathematical elegance when he sees it. I propose to go one step further, and to consider elegance an essential ingredient of mathematics: if it is clumsy, it is not mathematics.”

Ifs Steps Essentials Appreciate Mathematics Traditional Mathematical Ingredients Mathematician Elegance Propose Clumsy

Author:Edsger Dijkstra

“How do we convince people that in programming simplicity and clarity - in short: what mathematicians call elegance - are not a dispensable luxury, but a crucial matter that decides between success and failure?”

People Matter Simplicity Clarity Luxury Programming Convince Crucial Mathematician Elegance Success And Failure Dispensable

Book:Selected Writings on Computing: A personal Perspective

Source: Selected Writings on Computing: A personal Perspective

About the Author

Born: May 11, 1930
Died: August 6, 2002
Known for: Computer Scientist
Quotes: 105

Books & Sources

Selected Writings on Computing: A personal PerspectiveRelated source material

A Discipline of ProgrammingRelated source material

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