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A program that produces incorrect results twice as fast is…

“A program that produces incorrect results twice as fast is infinitely slower.” quote by John Ousterhout
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“A program that produces incorrect results twice as fast is infinitely slower.”

John Ousterhout

About This Quote

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

A flawed program that runs twice as fast still fails to deliver value, making it effectively slower overall.

In simple terms: Fast but incorrect code is useless.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize correctness before speed.

Themes

software quality performance efficiency

Mood

practical cautious

Type

technical advice

When to use this quote

  • product launch
  • critical systems
  • learning environments

Key Concepts

algorithmic correctness optimization trade‑offs

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you test for correctness?
  • When is speed more important than accuracy?
A Different Perspective

Speed gains can be negligible if errors dominate.

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