Niklaus Quotes

Prolific programmers contribute to certain disaster. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Whereas Europeans generally pronounce my name the right way ('Ni-klows Wirt'), Americans invariably mangle it into 'Nick-les Worth'. This is to say that Europeans call me by name, but Americans call me by value. ~ Niklaus Wirth

During the process of stepwise refinement, a notation which is natural to the problem in hand should be used as long as possible. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Increasingly, people seem to interpret complexity as sophistication, which is baffling – the incomprehensible should cause suspicion, not admiration. Possibly this results from the mistaken belief that using a mysterious device confers [extra] power on the user. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Many people tend to look at programming styles and languages like religions: if you belong to one, you cannot belong to others. But this analogy is another fallacy. ~ Niklaus Wirth

But quality of work can be expected only through personal satisfaction, dedication and enjoyment. In our profession, precision and perfection are not a dispensible luxury, but a simple necessity. ~ Niklaus Wirth

The idea that one might derive satisfaction from his or her successful work, because that work is ingenious, beautiful, or just pleasing, has become ridiculed. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Software is getting slower more rapidly than hardware becomes faster. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Our ultimate goal is extensible programming (EP). By this, we mean the construction of hierarchies of modules, each module adding new functionality to the system. ~ Niklaus Wirth

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 Wirth

Software development is technical activity conducted by human beings. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Experience shows that the success of a programming course critically depends on the choice of these examples. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Professors typically spend their time in meetings about planning, policy, proposals, fund-raising, consulting, interviewing, traveling, and so forth, but spend relatively little time at their drawing boards. As a result, they lose touch with the substance of their rapidly developing subject. They lose the ability to design; they lose sight of what is essential; and they resign themselves to teach academically challenging puzzles. ~ Niklaus Wirth

In the practical world of computing, it is rather uncommon that a program, once it performs correctly and satisfactorily, remains unchanged forever. ~ Niklaus Wirth

The possible solutions to a given problem emerge as the leaves of a tree, each node representing a point of deliberation and decision. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Whatever it is you are thinking of trying, go for it. Give it your best shot! ~ Niklaus Mikaelson

Programs should be written and polished until they acquire publication quality. ~ Niklaus Wirth

C++ is an insult to the human brain ~ Niklaus Wirth

I want to prove myself, but not to impress others. I want to challenge myself, but not to struggle. I want to matter, but not to feel superior. I have passion, not by degree or benefits, but by spirit. A man's words of wisdom isn't by his tongue, but his heart. A woman's love isn't from comfort, but by her integrity. No one is equal, but that's okay. Being different is our purpose of freewill. We create strength from our journey, not our muscles. I want to be better. Because it doesn't make me stronger, it makes me superhuman. ~ Niklaus Vestalla

Clearly, programming courses should teach methods of design and construction, and the selected examples should be such that a gradual development can be nicely demonstrated. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Good leaders make poor choices, the best take responsibility, but the truest sacrifice everything to make it right. ~ Niklaus Vestalla

But active programming consists of the design of new programs, rather than contemplation of old programs. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Yet, I am convinced that there is a need for high quality software, and the time will come when it will be recognized that it is worth investing effort in its development and in using a careful, structured approach based on safe, structured languages. ~ Niklaus Wirth

It is evidently necessary to generate and test candidates for solutions in some systematic manner. ~ Niklaus Wirth

The belief that complex systems require armies of designers and programmers is wrong. A system that is not understood in its entirety, or at least to a significant degree of detail by a single individual, should probably not be built. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Program construction consists of a sequence of refinement steps. ~ Niklaus Wirth

Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster. (Or, sometimes known by] Grove [the head of Intel] giveth and Gates [the head of Microsoft] taketh away.) ~ Niklaus Wirth

Usually its users discover sooner or later that their program does not deliver all the desired results, or worse, that the results requested were not the ones really needed. ~ Niklaus Wirth