Sound methodology can empower and liberate the creative mind; it cannot inflame or inspire the drudge. -- Frederick P. Brooks, No Sliver Bullet.

I think that a lot of programmers are ignoring an important point when people talk about reducing code repetition on large projects. Part of the idea is that large projects are intrinsically *wrong*. That you should be looking at making a number of smaller projects that are composable, even if you never end up reusing one of those smaller projects elsewhere. -- Dan Nugent

All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection. -- Butler Lampson

While I’ve always appreciated beautiful code, I share Jonathan’s concern about studying it too much. I think studying beauty in music and painting has led us to modern classical music and painting that the majority of us just don’t get. Beauty can be seen when it emerges, but isn’t something to strive for in isolation of a larger context. In the software world, the larger context would be the utility of the software to the end user. -- [A comment on a blog]

No matter how much you plan you’re likely to get half wrong anyway. So don’t do the ‘paralysis through analysis’ thing. That only slows progress and saps morale. -- 37 Signal, Getting real

We will never become a truly paper-less society until the Palm Pilot folks come out with WipeMe 1.0. -- Andy Pierson

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. ~David Brinkley

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement. –W. Clement Stone

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you. ~Lolly Daskal

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. ~Truman Capote