“Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers.”
–Mignon McLaughlin, The Complete Neurotic’s Notebook, 1981
Tag: Quotes
Question With Boldness
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.
–Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787
On Documentation
Documentation is like sex.
When it’s good, it’s very good.
When it’s bad, it’s better than nothing.
–Unknown
Ellen Ullman On How Computer Systems Are Constructed
We build our computers the way we build our cities–over time, without a plan, on top of ruins.
-Ellen Ullman, The Dumbing-Down of Programming, May 12, 1998
The Fact That Some Geniuses Were Laughed At . . .
“The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.”
–Carl Sagan, Boca’s Brain, 1979, p.64.
He Who Dares Not Offend…
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.”
-Thomas Paine, The Forester’s Letters, Letter III—’To Cato’, Pennsylvania Journal (24 April 1776).