Donald Knuth

Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it.

Premature optimization is the root of all evil (or at least most of it) in programming.

Let us change our traditional attitude by learning to love the machine and to respect its power.

The most important thing in a programming language is that it be useful to the programmer.

A computer scientist is an organism that transforms coffee into theorems.

I find that the best way to prepare for a new book is to write a new book.

An algorithm must be seen to be believed.

The best way to get a project done faster is to start sooner.

Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else.

We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil.

The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can be an aesthetic experience much like composing poetry or music, but also because it can be an intellectual challenge comparable to solving a difficult chess problem.

If you want to be a good programmer, you must be a good debugger.

I believe that the best way to prepare for a new book is to write a new book.

The computer programmer is a creator of universes for which he alone is the lawgiver. No playwright, no composer, no architect, has ever had such absolute control over his creations.

My aim is to provide a firm foundation for the future development of computer science.

The best way to learn to program is to write programs.

I have often found that the best way to understand something is to try to explain it to someone else.

The only way to learn a new programming language is by writing programs in it.

A good algorithm is like a good joke: it needs no explanation.

The greatest joy in programming is to write a program that works correctly the first time.