--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's a new feature. Don't tell…" description: "\"I think it's a new feature. Don't tell anyone it was an accident.\" — Larry Wall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/larry-wall-1576_accident_i-think-it-s-a-new-feature-don-t-tell-an_3119759.png" --- # I think it's a new feature. Don't tell anyone it was an… ![“I think it's a new feature. Don't tell anyone it was an accident.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/larry-wall-1576_accident_i-think-it-s-a-new-feature-don-t-tell-an_3119759.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/larry-wall-1576_accident_i-think-it-s-a-new-feature-don-t-tell-an_3119759.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b5/larry-wall-1576_accident_i-think-it-s-a-new-feature-don-t-tell-an_3119759.png) > “I think it's a new feature. Don't tell anyone it was an accident.” [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encouraging openness about mistakes, treating them as intentional features to foster learning. **In simple terms:** Treat accidents as intentional features. Key Takeaway Own mistakes and learn from them. Themes humor learning software development Mood lighthearted reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - code reviews - team meetings - product launches Key Concepts bug handling feature design transparency Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to label a bug a feature? - How does this mindset affect user trust? A Different Perspective May obscure accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computer software](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer-software/) [Don Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-tell/) [Feature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feature/) [Features](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/features/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [New Feature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-feature-3162685/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Software engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software-engineering/) [Tell Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-accident-5471603/) [Testing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testing/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [For every new feature we add, we take an old one out. A lot of big sites don't do that, and it's a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-karp/for-every-new-feature-we-add-we-take-an-old-one-out-a-lot-of-big/) [David Karp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-karp/) > [One new feature or fresh take can change everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/one-new-feature-or-fresh-take-can-change-everything/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kernighan/debugging-is-twice-as-hard-as-writing-the-code-in-the-first-place/) [Brian Kernighan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kernighan/) > [The best performance improvement is the transition from the nonworking state to the working state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ousterhout/the-best-performance-improvement-is-the-transition-from-the/) [John Ousterhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ousterhout/) > [The cheapest, fastest, and most reliable components are those that aren't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bell/the-cheapest-fastest-and-most-reliable-components-are-those-that-aren/) [Gordon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bell/) > [It's OK to figure out murder mysteries, but you shouldn't need to figure out code. You should be able to read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcconnell/it-s-ok-to-figure-out-murder-mysteries-but-you-shouldn-t-need-to/) [Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcconnell/) > [Should array indices start at 0 or 1? My compromise of 0.5 was rejected without, I thought, proper consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-kelly-bootle/should-array-indices-start-at-0-or-1-my-compromise-of-0-5-was/) [Stan Kelly-Bootle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-kelly-bootle/) > [Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/computers-are-good-at-following-instructions-but-not-at-reading-your/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [It's hard enough to find an error in your code when you're looking for it; it's even harder when you've assumed your code is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcconnell/it-s-hard-enough-to-find-an-error-in-your-code-when-you-re-looking/) [Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcconnell/) > [Considering the current sad state of our computer programs, software development is clearly still a black art, and cannot yet be called an engineering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/considering-the-current-sad-state-of-our-computer-programs-software/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [When debugging, novices insert corrective code; experts remove defective code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-pattis/when-debugging-novices-insert-corrective-code-experts-remove/) [Richard E. Pattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-pattis/) > [I'm not on Facebook. I have a sort of anonymous account that I check, like, once every six months every time Facebook rolls out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/i-m-not-on-facebook-i-have-a-sort-of-anonymous-account-that-i-check/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [A Perl program is correct if it gets the job done before your boss fires you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/a-perl-program-is-correct-if-it-gets-the-job-done-before-your-boss/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [The camel has evolved to be relatively self-sufficient. On the other hand, the camel has not evolved to smell good. Neither has Perl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-camel-has-evolved-to-be-relatively-self-sufficient-on-the-other/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Beauty is more important in computing than anywhere else in technology because software is so complicated. Beauty is the ultimate defense against complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gelernter/beauty-is-more-important-in-computing-than-anywhere-else-in/) [David Gelernter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gelernter/) ## More by Larry Wall > [Not that I have anything much against redundancy. But I said that already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/not-that-i-have-anything-much-against-redundancy-but-i-said-that/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perhaps you should compile your Perl with long doubles one of these megaseconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perhaps-you-should-compile-your-perl-with-long-doubles-one-of-these/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I'm reminded of the day my daughter came in, looked over my shoulder at some Perl 4 code, and said, 'What is that, swearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-m-reminded-of-the-day-my-daughter-came-in-looked-over-my-shoulder/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Yes, but I did manage to increase the amount of virginity in the world by that method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/yes-but-i-did-manage-to-increase-the-amount-of-virginity-in-the-world/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-won-t-mention-any-names-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-sun4-s-into/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [And besides, if Perl really takes off in the Windows space, I think the rest of us would just as soon have a double-agent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/and-besides-if-perl-really-takes-off-in-the-windows-space-i-think-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [In general, they do what you want, unless you want consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/in-general-they-do-what-you-want-unless-you-want-consistency/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I suppose you could switch grammars once you've seen 'use strict subs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-suppose-you-could-switch-grammars-once-you-ve-seen-use-strict-subs/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [While I have historically been a late worker, you know, sometimes I even like to get up early and see what's happened in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/while-i-have-historically-been-a-late-worker-you-know-sometimes-i/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [All language designers are arrogant. Goes with the territory...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/all-language-designers-are-arrogant-goes-with-the-territory/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Part of language design is perturbing the proposed feature in various directions to see how it might generalize in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/part-of-language-design-is-perturbing-the-proposed-feature-in-various/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [We can debug relationships, but it's always good policy to consider the people themselves to be features. People get annoyed when you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/we-can-debug-relationships-but-it-s-always-good-policy-to-consider/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [The whole intent of Perl 5's module system was to encourage the growth of Perl culture rather than the Perl core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-whole-intent-of-perl-5-s-module-system-was-to-encourage-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) [Explore all 226 Larry Wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. The accident was a wakeup call for me stop getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/however-i-met-with-a-horrible-accident-while-riding-my-bike-in-sangla/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 922 Accident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's a new feature. 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