By understanding a machine-oriented language, the programmer will tend to use a much more efficient method; it is much closer to reality.

Better algorithms probably gave us a factor of 6 in performance. Changing the programming language going to Prolog to C, that gave us a factor of 15. All the rest comes from hardware. So, wait 10 years, you've got a thousand. wait 20, you get a million in hardware performance.

The clarity of programming languages have several advantages over traditional languages. For example, programs in such languages are considerably shorter than the equivalent programs in imperative languages. They also encourage clear programming styles.

"The "space" of all possible programs is so huge that no one can have a sense of what is possible. Each higher-level language is naturally suited for exploring certain regions of "program space"; thus the programmer, by using that language, is channeled into those areas of program space. He is not forced by the language into writing programs of any particular type, but the language makes it easy for him to do certain kinds of things. Proximity to a concept, and a gentle shove, are often all that is needed for a major discovery-and that is the reason for the drive towards languages of ever higher levels."

We are much better at writing code than haiku.

By learning them, and understanding their paradigms, and by programming in a functional way, you will end up being much more productive and you're becoming much better programmers.

The utility of a language as a tool of thought increases with the range of topics it can treat, but decreases with the amount of vocabulary and the complexity of grammatical rules which the user must keep in mind. Economy of notation is therefore important.

Besides a mathematical inclination, an exceptionally good mastery of one's native tongue is the most vital asset of a competent programmer.

each program has an appropriate level of care and sophistication dependent on the uses to which it will be put. Working above that level is, in a way, even less professional than working below it. If we are to know whether an individual programmer is doing a good job, we shall have to know whether or not he is working on the proper level for his problem.

Computer languages of the future will be more concerned with goals and less with procedures specified by the programmer.

The biggest new factor for determining how we judge the quality of code is the economic factor. A program that sells, and makes profits, is obviously better than one that doesn’t.

The cost of code is coming down, so we will consume more of it.

The productivity of coders is going up, so they will become more valuable.

Coding now includes training and driving models.

Increase on productivity and decrease in unit costs (often identified with economies of scale) resulted far more from the increases in the volume and velocity of throughput then from a growth in the size of the factory and plant.

if you increase living standards you make labor more productive. This is why Asia today is becoming more productive than the United States.