Bad idea Quote by Edsger Dijkstra
“Object-oriented programming is an exceptionally bad idea which could only have originated in California.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Humble Programmer”, 1972
Object‑oriented design can overcomplicate simple problems, especially when driven by trends rather than necessity.
In simple terms: OOP may add unnecessary complexity.
Key Takeaway
Avoid unnecessary abstraction.
Themes
software design
complexity
programming paradigms
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
technical
educational
When to use this quote
- legacy code maintenance
- team onboarding
- feature scaling
Key Concepts
abstraction
modularity
Questions to Reflect On
- When does OOP simplify a problem?
- How can you balance abstraction with clarity?
A Different Perspective
OOP can improve modularity when applied judiciously.
![“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others are making a religion out of it, as if the conceptual problems of programming could be solved by a single trick, by a simple form of coding discipline!” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.jpg)
