Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper
Grace Brewster Murray Hopper, née Grace Brewster Murray, was an American computer scientist and United States Navy Rear Admiral. She was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer in 1944, invented the first compiler for a computer programming language, and was one of those who popularized the idea of machine-independent programming languages which led to the development of COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth9 December 1906
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
It's easier to apologize than ask for permission.
From then on, when anything went wrong with a computer, we said it had bugs in it.
No computer is ever going to ask a new, reasonable question. It takes trained people to do that.
The only phrase I've ever disliked is, 'Why, we've always done it that way.' I always tell young people, 'Go ahead and do it. You can always apologize later.'
To me programming is more than an important practical art. It is also a gigantic undertaking in the foundations of knowledge.
I will not take what you need to give me. I will take what you want to give me.
Manage things. Lead people.
I am now going to make you a gift that will stay with you the rest of your life. For the rest of your life, every time you say, "We've always done it that way," my ghost will appear and haunt you for twenty-four hours.
If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It is much easier to apologise than it is to get permission.