Margaret H. Hamilton Quotes

Software Engineering might be science; but that's not what I do. I'm a hacker, not an engineer.

I have never written a line of commercial code in my life. Nor should I.

The most sought-after candidates in the world today by companies like mine are people who make computer software - there's a shortage of talent.

I know one business, and that's how to make software.

I'm kind of a retired software engineer. I don't write code anymore.

Anyone can squash a bug but all professors of this world couldn't build one.

We shifted our philosophy from being a computer mapping group that would support planners to the idea of building actual software that would be well engineered. Because at that time, our software was not well-engineered at all; it was basically built with project funding and for project work, largely by ourselves.

Indeed, the woes of Software Engineering are not due to lack of tools, or proper management, but largely due to lack of sufficient technical competence.

Code writers, they are my idols.

I have this hope that there is a better way. Higher-level tools that actually let you see the structure of the software more clearly will be of tremendous value.

I'm really good at making software for publishing.

The process of software development doesn't feel any better than it did a generation ago.

First, I'd like to see the basic tools such as compilers, debuggers, profilers, database interfaces, GUI builders, CAD tools, and so forth fully support the ISO standard.

This will surprise some of your readers, but my primary interest is not with computer security. I am primarily interested in writing software that works as intended.

I designed and developed an unbelievable number of applications early in my life.

Most software today is very much like an Egyptian pyramid with millions of bricks piled on top of each other, with no structural integrity, but just done by brute force and thousands of slaves.

Yet, I am convinced that there is a need for high quality software, and the time will come when it will be recognized that it is worth investing effort in its development and in using a careful, structured approach based on safe, structured languages.

A lot of people assume that creating software is purely a solitary activity where you sit in an office with the door closed all day and write lots of code.

Learning to program has no more to do with designing interactive software than learning to touch type has to do with writing poetry

I am a programmer.

There are two methods in software design. One is to make the program so simple, there are obviously no errors. The other is to make it so complicated, there are no obvious errors.

If 10 years from now, when you are doing something quick and dirty, you suddenly visualize that I am looking over your shoulders and say to yourself: 'Dijkstra would not have liked this', well that would be enough immortality for me.

There is a strong movement towards increased accountability for software developers and software development organizations.

I started to write a new editor not too long ago and had it about half done after two days.

Writing software is a very intense, very personal thing. You have to have time to work your way through it, to understand it. Then debug it.