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

      “If you can’t explain something to a six-year-old, you really don’t understand it yourself.”

      “An interactive debugger is an outstanding example of what is not needed—it encourages trial-and-error hacking rather than systematic design, and also hides marginal people barely qualified for precision programming.”

      “La perfection est attainte non quand il ne reste rien à ajouter, mais quand il ne reste rien à enlever.”

      “Make things as simple as possible—but no simpler.”

      “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

      “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.”