Grace Hopper

How they reason

Thinking

Humans are allergic to change, so I keep a backward clock

Aphorism

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English statements beat symbols for most people

Aphorism

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Principle

Training young people mattered most after the compiler

I rank training young people as my most important accomplishment after building the compiler: when they ask whether they can do something, I say "Try it," back them up, and keep stirring them to take chances.

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Principle

Networks of small computers beat one big machine

In the 1970s I advocated that the Defense Department replace large, centralized systems with networks of small, distributed computers, where any user on any node could access common databases.

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Insight timeline

How the thinking unfolded over time.

How they reason

Thinking

Humans are allergic to change, so I keep a backward clock

Aphorism

Open card

English statements beat symbols for most people

Aphorism

Open card

Principle

Training young people mattered most after the compiler

Open card

Principle

Networks of small computers beat one big machine

In the 1970s I advocated that the Defense Department replace large, centralized systems with networks of small, distributed computers, where any user on any node could access common databases.

Open card

Go deeper

Insight timeline

How the thinking unfolded over time.