Motivation is undoubtedly the single greatest influence on how well people perform. Most productivity studies have found that motivation has a stronger influence on productivity than any other factor.

In software, the chain isn't as strong as its weakest link; it's as weak as all the weak links multiplied together.

Trying to apply formal methods to all software projects is just as bad as trying to apply code-and-fix development to all projects.

It's OK to figure out murder mysteries, but you shouldn't need to figure out code. You should be able to read it.

The default movement on a software project should be in the direction of taking elements of the software away to make it simpler rather than adding elements to make it more complex.

It's hard enough to find an error in your code when you're looking for it; it's even harder when you've assumed your code is error-free.

Testing by itself does not improve software quality. Test results are an indicator of quality, but in and of themselves, they don't improve it. Trying to improve software quality by increasing the amount of testing is like trying to lose weight by weighing yourself more often. What you eat before you step onto the scale determines how much you will weigh, and the software development techniques you use determine how many errors testing will find. If you want to lose weight, don't buy a new scale; change your diet. If you want to improve your software, don't test more; develop better.