Seibel: Do you ever write down anything before you start writing code? Thompson: I usually write down data structures before I write down code. I don't write down algorithms—no flowcharts, or stuff like that. But the stuff you have to refer to on almost every line of code—data structures. Seibel: If you're writing a C program, does that mean C code that would define those data structures? Thompson: No, little boxes with arrows and stuff.
