The only thing I understand deeply, because in my teens I was thinking about it, and every year of my life, is software. So I'll never be hands-on on anything except software.

Contrary to Piketty’s rentier hypothesis, I don’t see anyone on the [Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans] whose ancestors bought a great parcel of land in 1780 and have been accumulating family wealth by collecting rents ever since. In America, that old money is long gone - through instability, inflation, taxes, philanthropy, and spending.

DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.

'I don't know' has become 'I don't know yet'.

In almost every area of human endeavor, the practice improves over time. That hasn't been the case for teaching.

I have a nice office. I have a nice house... So I'm not denying myself some great things. I just don't happen to have expensive hobbies.