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If we wish to count lines of code, we should not regard…

“If we wish to count lines of code, we should not regard them as 'lines produced' but as 'lines spent.'” quote by Edsger Dijkstra
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“If we wish to count lines of code, we should not regard them as 'lines produced' but as 'lines spent.'”

Edsger Dijkstra

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Code should be measured by effort spent, not just lines produced, emphasizing quality over quantity.

In simple terms: Measure effort, not lines.

Key Takeaway

Focus on effortful, quality code.

Themes

productivity quality software engineering

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

technical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • project planning
  • code reviews
  • software estimation
  • team management

Key Concepts

algorithmic thinking efficiency

Questions to Reflect On

  • How to assess coding effort fairly?
  • What metrics capture quality beyond line count?
A Different Perspective

Hard to quantify effort precisely.

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