Edsger Dijkstra interview
Why Hacker News recommends it
Shared as a primary source for Dijkstra's views, such as his approach to writing code on paper.
What it is
A 24-minute interview with Edsger Dijkstra, the Dutch computer scientist, including his views on writing programs by hand and keeping errors out of them. It is part of a longer Dutch TV interview.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2023 to 2024.
What Hacker News said
Recommends ZoomZoomZoom · 2023-10 · on “Why (and How) I Write Code with Pencil and Paper”
Any discussion of handwritten code is incomplete without mentioning Edsger Dijkstra's approach, demonstrated in this beautiful interview: [this video] I'm surprised no one has mentioned it here yet.
Cites ly3xqhl8g9 · 2023-02 · on “Dijkstra comparing computer science to alchemy (1989)”
For Dijkstra programming meant to think about a problem, then sit for a few minutes at your desk and write with pen on paper "in one go" the perfect algorithm/program, no bugs, no errors, no corrections, from the first try, and also, in beautiful handwriting. Some kind of idealized way in which Mozart would write his compositions. Whereas "Beethoven was a doubter and a struggler who started writing before he finished the composition and then glued corrections on the paper. In one place he did this nine times. When they peeled them, the last version proved identical to the first one. This iterative method of programming is somehow a very Anglo-Saxon custom. British education is pervaded by it
Cites eesmith · 2024-01 · on “Edsger Dijkstra carried computer science on his shoulders (2020)”
You can see the vehicle at [this video] . He and his wife are driving to some sort of camping area. It's part of a longer interview with him. He also does crossword puzzles.
Cites rednab · 2024-02 · on “Dijkstra's interview on Dutch TV (2000)”
[this video] The Dutch language quote as displayed: "We mogen niet uit nonchalance fouten in een programma aanbrengen. Dat moeten we systematisch en met zorg doen.". Feel free to run that through your favorite translator. The subtitles: "We should not introduce errors through sloppiness but systematically keep them out." The translator missed a very dry and very Dijkstra joke.