Donald Knuth quotes

" Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it. " # Mistakes # Caution # Ethics

" A list is only as strong as its weakest link. " # Weakness # Thoughts and Thinking # Reputation

" An algorithm must be seen to be believed. " # Belief

" Premature optimization is the root of all evil (or at least most of it) in programming. " # Optimism # Attitude # Evil

" The reason is not to glorify "bit chasing"; a more fundamental issue is at stake here: Numerical subroutines should deliver results that satisfy simple, useful mathematical laws whenever possible. [...] Without any underlying symmerty properties, the job of proving interesting results becomes extremely unpleasant. The enjoyment of one's tools is an essential ingredient of successful work. " # Success # Law and Lawyers # Excellence

" The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can be economically and scientifically rewarding, but also because it can be an aesthetic experience much like composing poetry or music. " # Music # Science and Scientists # Computers

" The sun comes up just about as often as it goes down, in the long run, but this doesn't make its motion random. " # Planning # Love # Death and Dying

" Any inaccuracies in this index may be explained by the fact that it has been sorted with the help of a computer. " # Computers

" Science is knowledge which we understand so well that we can teach it to a computer; and if we don't fully understand something, it is an art to deal with it. " # Computers # Science and Scientists # Teachers and Teaching

" We should continually be striving to transform every art into a science: in the process, we advance the art. " # Science and Scientists # Arts and Artists # Happiness