Programmer time is expensive; conserve it in preference to…
“Programmer time is expensive; conserve it in preference to machine time”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human labor is costlier than computer cycles; prioritize saving programmers' time.
In simple terms: Programmer time is valuable.
Optimize code for developer efficiency.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- project planning
- debugging sessions
- code reviews
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When do you automate versus manual work?
- How can you measure programmer time saved?
Automation may not always reduce human effort and can add complexity.