Algorithms Quote by Robert Tarjan
![“Once you succeed in writing the programs for [these] complicated algorithms, they usually run extremely fast. The computer doesn't need to understand the algorithm, its task is only to run the programs.” quote by Robert Tarjan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c8c/robert-tarjan-273743_algorithms_once-you-succeed-in-writing-the-programs_816204.jpg)
“Once you succeed in writing the programs for [these] complicated algorithms, they usually run extremely fast. The computer doesn't need to understand the algorithm, its task is only to run the programs.”
About This Quote
Programs translate algorithms into executable steps; speed depends on implementation, not the algorithm's nature.
In simple terms: Implementation matters for speed.
Key Takeaway
Focus on efficient coding.
Themes
technology
programming
performance
Mood
analytical
technical
Type
instructional
technical
When to use this quote
- software development
- high‑performance computing
- optimizing code
Key Concepts
algorithmic theory
software engineering
Questions to Reflect On
- What trade‑offs exist between clarity and speed?
- When is readability more important than speed?
A Different Perspective
Complex algorithms may be hard to implement.
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![“The classes of problems which are respectively known and not known to have good algorithms are of great theoretical interest. [...] I conjecture that there is no good algorithm for the traveling salesman problem. My reasons are the same as for any mathematical conjecture: (1) It is a legitimate…” quote by Jack Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/43a/jack-edmonds-61996_algorithms_the-classes-of-problems-which-are-respec_50487.jpg)
![“Object-oriented programming aficionados think that everything is an object… this [isn't] so. There are things that are objects. Things that have state and change their state are objects. And then there are things that are not objects. A binary search is not an object. It is an algorithm” quote by Alexander Stepanov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ef9/alexander-stepanov-55292_algorithms_object-oriented-programming-aficionados_89704.jpg)
![“[The Euclidean algorithm is] the granddaddy of all algorithms, because it is the oldest nontrivial algorithm that has survived to the present day.” quote by Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/880/donald-knuth-8762_algorithms_the-euclidean-algorithm-is-the-granddadd_96085.jpg)
