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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

Author

Edsger Dijkstra
Edsger Dijkstra

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. more

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“Have felt it myself. The glitter of nuclear weapons. It is irresistible if you come to them as a scientist. To feel it's there in your hands, to release this energy that fuels the stars, to let it do your bidding. To perform these miracles, to lift a million tons of rock into the sky. It is something that gives people an illusion of illimitable power and it is, in some ways, responsible for all our troubles - this, what you might call technical arrogance, that overcomes people when they see what they can do with their minds.”

“The biggest breakthrough in the next 50 years will be the discovery of extraterrestrial life. We have been searching for it for 50 years and found nothing. That proves life is rarer than we hoped, but does not prove that the universe is lifeless. We are only now developing the tools to make our searches efficient and far-reaching, as optical and radio detection and data processing move forward.”