The hardest thing is to go to sleep at night, when there are so many urgent things needing to be done. A huge gap exists between what we know is possible with today's machines and what we have so far been able to finish.
Donald KnuthRead
Computer programming is an art, because it applies accumulated knowledge to the world, because it requires skill and ingenuity, and especially because it produces objects of beauty. A programmer who subconsciously views himself as an artist will enjoy what he does and will do it better.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Programming combines creativity and technical skill to produce beautiful solutions and experiences.
In this quote, Donald Knuth emphasizes that computer programming is not merely a technical task but an artistic endeavor that requires creativity, skill, and insight. He suggests that when programmers view themselves as artists, they are likely to find more enjoyment in their work and, consequently, produce better results, highlighting the beauty that can emerge from the world of programming.
Themes
ProgrammingArtCreativitySkillBeauty
In practice
Example use cases
In a tech seminar discussing the creative aspects of coding.
More from Donald Knuth
All quotes →An algorithm must be seen to be believed.
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The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can economically and scientifically rewarding, but also because it can be an aesthetic experience much like composing poetry or music.
Donald KnuthRead
People who are more than casually interested in computers should have at least some idea of what the underlying hardware is like. Otherwise the programs they write will be pretty weird.
Donald KnuthRead
Everyday life is like programming, I guess. If you love something you can put beauty into it.
Donald KnuthRead
To me, it looks more or less like the hardware designers have run out of ideas and that they're trying to pass the blame for the future demise of Moore's Law to the software writers by giving us machines that work faster only on a few key benchmarks!
Donald KnuthRead
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