James Gosling

Computer Science Canadian 1955 361 quotes

Often credited as the father of the Java programming language.

Most quoted

"Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as you can, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it."

— from Commonly attributed/quoted by him

"The problem with C++ is that it's too easy to shoot yourself in the foot. Java is much harder to shoot yourself in the foot with, but when you do, you blow your whole leg off."

— from Interview/Presentation, 1996

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

— from often attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, but Gosling has used it in context of software development

All quotes by James Gosling (361)

I'm a lifelong learner. I'm always trying to learn new things.

Interview/Correspondence

The most important thing is to have a clear vision.

Interview/Correspondence

I've always been driven by curiosity.

Interview/Correspondence

The greatest joy is in creating something new.

Interview/Correspondence

I think it's important to have a sense of humor, especially in this industry.

Interview/Correspondence

The world needs more builders and fewer complainers.

Interview/Correspondence

I'm a software guy. I like to build stuff.

Various interviews and talks

The problem with software is that it's too easy to change.

Various interviews and talks

Java was designed for embedded systems, not for web browsers.

Various interviews and talks

The original goal for Java was to make a language that was simple, robust, and secure.

Various interviews and talks

I'm not a big fan of frameworks. I like to build things from scratch.

Various interviews and talks

I've always been interested in making things that work.

Various interviews and talks

The hardest part of building a system is not the technology, it's the people.

Various interviews and talks

Java is a language for the Internet.

Early Java presentations 1995

We wanted to build a system that was truly platform independent.

Various interviews and talks

The 'write once, run anywhere' mantra was a huge motivator.

Various interviews and talks

I'm a hacker at heart.

Various interviews and talks

The most important thing in software development is communication.

Various interviews and talks

I left Sun because I was tired of the politics.

Blog post after leaving Oracle 2010

The Java community is one of the most vibrant and passionate communities in the world.

Various interviews and talks