In their capacity as a tool, computers will be but a ripple on the surface of our culture. In their capacity as intellectual challenge, they are without precedent in the cultural history of mankind.

If we wish to count lines of code, we should not regard them as "lines produced" but as "lines spent."

Don't compete with me: firstly, I have more experience, and secondly, I have chosen the weapons.

...Simplifications have had a much greater long-range scientific impact than individual feats of ingenuity. The opportunity for simplification is very encouraging, because in all examples that come to mind the simple and elegant systems tend to be easier and faster to design and get right, more efficient in execution, and much more reliable than the more contrived contraptions that have to be debugged into some degree of acceptability....Simplicity and elegance are unpopular because they require hard work and discipline to achieve and education to be appreciated.

The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.

I don't need to waste my time with a computer just because I am a computer scientist.

Besides a mathematical inclination, an exceptionally good mastery of one's native tongue is the most vital asset of a competent programmer.