Radia Perlman
Often called the 'Mother of the Internet' for her invention of the Spanning Tree Protocol.
Most quoted
"We build systems that are incredibly complex, and then we're surprised when they fail. It's like building a house of cards and being surprised when it falls down."
— from Conference talk
"The Internet is a testament to the fact that if you give people enough rope, they'll hang themselves... and then complain about the rope."
— from Talk/Presentation
"The Spanning Tree Protocol is a testament to the fact that you can't always get what you want, but you can always get what you need."
— from Various interviews and talks
All quotes by Radia Perlman (341)
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
The Internet is a global village, but it's also a global battlefield.
I believe in building systems that are robust, even when things go wrong.
The Spanning Tree Protocol was designed to be simple, elegant, and robust.
Don't optimize for the common case, optimize for the worst case.
The Internet is a network of networks, and that's what makes it so powerful.
My job is to make sure the bits get from here to there, reliably and securely.
The biggest challenge in security is not the technology, it's the people.
I'm not a fan of buzzwords. I prefer to talk about real problems and real solutions.
The Internet is a work in progress, and it always will be.
If you want to build a truly distributed system, you have to embrace chaos.
The Internet is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used for good or for evil.
My philosophy is to make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.
The Internet is a fascinating experiment in self-organization.
I'm an engineer, not a prophet.
The Internet is a reflection of humanity, with all its good and bad.
The beauty of the Internet is that it's constantly evolving.
I believe in building systems that are resilient, even in the face of attack.
The Internet is a powerful force for change, both positive and negative.
My work is about making sure that information can flow freely and securely.
Contemporaries of Radia Perlman
Other Computer Sciences born within 50 years of Radia Perlman (1951).