Increasingly, people seem to misinterpret complexity as sophistication, which is baffling -- the incomprehensible should cause suspicion rather than admiration.
Niklaus WirthRead
But quality of work can be expected only through personal satisfaction, dedication and enjoyment. In our profession, precision and perfection are not a dispensable luxury, but a simple necessity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Quality work stems from personal satisfaction and a commitment to one's craft.
This quote emphasizes that to achieve high standards in work, one must derive personal satisfaction and enjoyment from what they do. It suggests that dedication to the task at hand is essential, and that precision and perfection are not optional but vital components of one’s professional conduct.
Themes
QualityWorkSatisfactionDedicationPerfection
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech to motivate employees about taking pride in their work.
More from Niklaus Wirth
All quotes →Complexity has and will maintain a strong fascination for many people. It is true that we live in a complex world and strive to solve inherently complex problems, which often do require complex mechanisms. However, this should not diminish our desire for elegant solutions, which convince by their clarity and effectiveness. Simple, elegant solutions are more effective, but they are harder to find than complex ones, and they require more time, which we too often believe to be unaffordable
Niklaus WirthRead
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