Progress is possible only if we train ourselves to think about programs without thinking of them as pieces of executable code.
Edsger DijkstraRead
Testing shows the presence, not the absence of bugs.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Testing helps reveal the existing bugs in software rather than proving their non-existence.
Edsger Dijkstra emphasizes that the purpose of testing in software development is to identify and confirm the existence of bugs, rather than trying to demonstrate that no bugs are present. This perspective highlights the inherent uncertainty in programming, suggesting that testing is a vital tool for uncovering issues and improving the quality of software.
Themes
TestingBugsSoftwareDevelopmentProgramming
In practice
Example use cases
In a software development meeting discussing best practices, this quote illustrates the importance of robust testing.
More from Edsger Dijkstra
All quotes βSimplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
Edsger DijkstraRead
The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.
Edsger DijkstraRead
We shall do a much better programming job, provided that we approach the task with a full appreciation of its tremendous difficulty, provided that we stick to modest and elegant programming languages, provided that we respect the intrinsic limitations of the human mind and approach the task as Very Humble Programmers.
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The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.
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LISP has jokingly been described as "the most intelligent way to misuse a computer." I think that description is a great compliment because it transmits the full flavour of liberation: it has assisted a number of our most gifted fellow humans in thinking previously impossible thoughts.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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