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Brian Kernighan Quotes (1942-)
Author, Scientist
About Brian Kernighan
Brian Wilson Kernighan (born January 1, 1942) is a computer scientist who worked at the Bell Labs and contributed to the design of the pioneering AWK and AMPL programming languages. He is most well-known for his co-authorship, with Dennis Ritchie, of the first book on the C programming language.
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βControlling complexity is the essence of computer programming.β
βMechanical rules are never a substitute for clarity of thought.β
βC is a razor-sharp tool, with which one can create an elegant and efficient program or a bloody mess.β
βThe most effective debugging tool is still careful thought, coupled with judiciously placed print statements.β
βDo what you think is interesting, do something that you think is fun and worthwhile, because otherwise you won't do it well anyway.β
βAssociative arrays are very very useful things and if you are only going to have one data structure that's the one to have. Because you could build everything else with it if you want.β
βAdvice to students: Leap in and try things. If you succeed, you can have enormous influence. If you fail, you have still learned something, and your next attempt is sure to be better for it. Advice to graduates: Do something you really enjoy doing. If it isnβt fun to get up in the morning and do your job or your school program, youβre in the wrong field.β
Brian Kernighan Quotes by Topic
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Brian Kernighan on Debugging 2 quotes
βThe most effective debugging tool is still careful thought, coupled with judiciously placed print statements.β
Brian Kernighan on C++
βBut you wonder whether it [C++] has passed beyond some threshold of complexity that's beyond mortals.β
What Brian Kernighan Said About Others
Discover personal opinions Brian Kernighan shared regarding contemporaries.
Brian Kernighan on Dennis Ritchie
Brian Kernighan on Ken Thompson
βKen Thompson was once asked what he would do differently if he were redesigning the UNIX system. His reply: "I'd spell creat with an e."β
About Brian Kernighan
Brian Wilson Kernighan (born January 1, 1942) is a computer scientist who worked at the Bell Labs and contributed to the design of the pioneering AWK and AMPL programming languages. He is most well-known for his co-authorship, with Dennis Ritchie, of the first book on the C programming language.