Great article.
Donald Knuth at the IBM 650 console; illustration by Siobhán K Cronin
"Some books look so beautiful on the shelf. Not only for their aesthetic virtues, but for what their spines say about the owner. The four hardbound volumes of Donald Knuth’s “The Art of Computer Programming” — all snug in their dark purple case — send a clear message: Step aside, Muggles, because you’re in the presence of a Real Programmer. A Serious Practitioner of Computer Science."
"Bill Gates once said, 'If you think you’re a really good programmer… read Art of Computer Programming… You should definitely send me a résumé if you can read the whole thing.' "
"The short feedback loop and malleability of today’s software comes with a price. While software development can be much more playful today, it’s also easier to hack before we think, and it can create a lot of problems. Great software still does require a lot of thought, and with ease we lose rigor."
