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It is my firm belief that all successful languages are grown and not merely designed from first principles
Bjarne Stroustrup
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Successful programming languages evolve over time rather than being created from scratch.

Bjarne Stroustrup emphasizes that effective programming languages develop organically through usage, community feedback, and real-world application, rather than being rigidly constructed from theoretical foundations alone. This reflects the idea that user experience and adaptability play vital roles in the success of any language, indicating that continuous improvement and real-world application are essential for its growth and relevance.

Themes

ProgrammingLanguagesGrowthDesignEvolution

In practice

Example use cases

During a tech seminar on programming languages, one could quote Stroustrup to highlight the importance of community feedback in language development.

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