“Let me try to explain to you, what to my taste is characteristic for all intelligent thinking. It is, that one is willing to study in depth an aspect of one's subject matter in isolation for the sake of its own consistency, all the time knowing that one is occupying oneself only with one of the aspects. We know that a program must be correct and we can study it from that viewpoint only; we also know that it should be efficient and we can study its efficiency on another day, so to speak. In another mood we may ask ourselves whether, and if so: why, the program is desirable. But nothing is gained—on the contrary!—by tackling these various aspects simultaneously. It is what I sometimes have called "the separation of concerns", which, even if not perfectly possible, is yet the only available technique for effective ordering of one's thoughts, that I know of. This is what I mean by "focusing one's attention upon some aspect": it does not mean ignoring the other aspects, it is just doing justice to the fact that from this aspect's point of view, the other is irrelevant. It is being one- and multiple-track minded simultaneously.”
Quote by Edsger W. Dijkstra
Work
Selected Writings on Computing: A personal Perspective
This volume brings together a selection of writings that offer a personal viewpoint on computing. The author discusses foundational ideas, evolving practices, and significant milestones in computer science, drawing on their own experiences and observations. The essays explore topics such as programming, system design, and the broader impact of computing, providing insight into the author's intellectual journey and contributions to the discipline. more
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