Software development is technical activity conducted by human beings.

Good engineering is characterized by gradual, stepwise refinement of products that yields increased performance under given constraints and with given resources.

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

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.

Reliable and transparent programs are usually not in the interest of the designer.

Time pressure gradually corrupts an engineer's standard of quality and perfection. It has a detrimental effect on people as well as products

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