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Ellen Ullman Quotes


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Quotes by Ellen Ullman

Showing 61-70 of 100 Quotes by Ellen Ullman

Tools are not neutral. The computer is not a neutral tool.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Computer Neutral Tool Tools

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A computer is a general-purpose machine with which we engage to do some of our deepest thinking and analyzing. This tool brings with it assumptions about structuredness, about defined interfaces being better. Computers abhor error.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Abhor About Analyzing Assumptions Being Better Brings Computer Computers Deepest Defined Engage Error Machine Our Some Thinking Tool Which

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Abhorring error is not necessarily positive.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Error Necessarily Positive

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Human thinking can skip over a great deal, leap over small misunderstandings, can contain ifs and buts in untroubled corners of the mind. But the machine has no corners. Despite all the attempts to see the computer as a brain, the machine has no foreground or background.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Attempts Background Brain Buts Computer Contain Corners Deal Despite Great Great Deal Human Ifs Leap Machine Mind Misunderstandings Over See Skip Small Thinking

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It had to happen to me sometime: sooner or later, I would have to lose sight of the cutting edge. That moment every technical person fears - the fall into knowledge exhaustion, obsolescence, techno-fuddy-duddyism - there was no reason to think I could escape it forever.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Could Cutting Cutting Edge Edge Escape Every Exhaustion Fall Fears Forever Had Happen Knowledge Later Lose Me Moment No Reason Obsolescence Person Reason Sight Sometime Sooner Sooner Or Later Technical Think Would

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I used to pass by a large computer system with the feeling that it represented the summed-up knowledge of human beings. It reassured me to think of all those programs as a kind of library in which our understanding of the world was recorded in intricate and exquisite detail.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Beings Computer Detail Exquisite Feeling Human Human Beings Intricate Kind Knowledge Large Library Me Our Pass Programs Recorded System Think Those Understanding Used Which World

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When knowledge passes into code, it changes state; like water turned to ice, it becomes a new thing, with new properties. We use it, but in a human sense, we no longer know it.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Becomes Changes Code Human Ice Know Knowledge Like Longer New New Thing Passes Properties Sense State Thing Turned Use Water

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Productivity has always been the justification for the prepackaging of programming knowledge. But it is worth asking about the sort of productivity gains that come from the simplifications of click-and-drag.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: About Always Asking Been Come Gains Justification Knowledge Productivity Programming Sort Worth

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It's possible to let technology absorb what we know and then re-express it in intricate mechanisms - parts and circuit boards and software objects - mechanisms we can use but do not understand in crucial ways. This not-knowing is fine while everything works as we expected.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: Absorb Boards Circuit Crucial Everything Expected Fine Intricate Know Mechanisms Objects Parts Possible Software Technology Then Understand Use Ways While Works

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UNIX always presumes you know what you're doing. You're the human being, after all, and it is a mere operating system.

~Ellen Ullman

Topics: After Always Being Doing Human Human Being Know Mere Operating Operating System System Unix You

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Professions

Born: Unknown

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