Computer language Quote by Robert Fano
![“In those days [batch processing] programmers never even documented their programs, because it was assumed that nobody else would ever use them. Now, however, time-sharing had made exchanging software trivial: you just stored one copy in the public repository and therby effectively gave it to the…” quote by Robert Fano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3f2/robert-fano-120650_computer-language_in-those-days-batch-processing-programme_563259.jpg)
“In those days [batch processing] programmers never even documented their programs, because it was assumed that nobody else would ever use them. Now, however, time-sharing had made exchanging software trivial: you just stored one copy in the public repository and therby effectively gave it to the world. Immediately people began to document their programs and to think of them as being usable by others. They started to build on each other's work.”
About This Quote
Source Article: History of Time-Sharing Systems, 1970s
Early software sharing shifted from private to public, prompting documentation and collaborative development.
In simple terms: Sharing made documentation necessary.
Key Takeaway
Document and share code for reuse.
Themes
collaboration
documentation
software development
Mood
reflective
optimistic
Type
historical
educational
When to use this quote
- software engineering
- academic research
- open source projects
Key Concepts
open source
knowledge transfer
community building
Questions to Reflect On
- How does open sharing affect code quality?
- What incentives sustain documentation?
A Different Perspective
Documentation alone doesn't guarantee quality or maintenance.
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