Data Quote by Ken Thompson
“I wanted to separate data from programs, because data and instructions are very different.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The UNIX Philosophy, 1974
Separating data from code treats them as distinct entities, improving flexibility and security.
In simple terms: Data and code should be kept separate.
Design systems that isolate data and logic.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- database design
- operating systems
- application development
- security architecture
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does separation affect maintainability?
- What risks arise when they are mixed?
Hard to enforce in legacy systems.