Unix has retarded OS research by 10 years and linux has retarded it by 20.
Obviously, the person who had most influence on my career was Ken Thompson.
Twenty percent of all input forms filled out by people contain bad data.
For books, I don't read much fiction, but like travel essays and good pop-science.
UNIX is simple and coherent, but it takes a genius (or at any rate, a programmer) to understand and appreciate its simplicity.
C is quirky, flawed, and an enormous success.