Think Like a Programmer Quotes

“In essence, most programming books for beginners teach how to read a program, not how to write one.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Planning also allows you to set intermediate goals and achieve them. Without a plan, you have only one goal: solve the whole problem.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“It’s better to develop a strategy than to attack the problem through trial and error.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Restating the problem in a more formal manner is a great technique for gaining insight into a problem.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“For programmers, then, we can define problem solving as writing an original program that performs a particular set of tasks and meets all stated constraints.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Don’t Get Frustrated The final technique isn’t so much a technique, but a maxim: Don’t get frustrated. When you are frustrated, you won’t think as clearly, you won’t work as efficiently, and everything will take longer and seem harder. Even worse, frustration tends to feed on itself, so that what begins as mild irritation ends as outright anger.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The chief lesson here is the importance of recognizing analogies. Here, we can see that the Quarrasi lock problem is analogous to the fox, goose, and corn problem. If we discover that analogy early enough, we can avoid most of the work of the problem by translating our solution from the first problem rather than creating a new solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“there is a rule for solving certain types of problems in artificial intelligence called the “most constrained variable.” It means that in a problem where you are trying to assign different values to different variables to meet constraints, you should start with the variable that has the most constraints, or put another way, the variable that has the lowest number of possible values.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The main lesson from sudoku is that we should look for the most constrained part of the problem. While constraints are often what make a problem difficult to begin with (remember the fox, the goose, and the corn), they may also simplify our thinking about the solution because they eliminate choices.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“When solving problems, working with a specific goal in mind is always better than random effort, whether you achieve that specific goal or not.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Looking for a way to divide a problem is usually time well spent. Even if you are unable to find a clean division, you may learn something about the problem that helps you to solve it.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“When faced with an onerous problem, I experiment with a reduced version of the problem. These experiments frequently produce valuable insights.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The broader lesson is that thinking about the problem may be as productive, or in some cases more productive, than thinking about the solution. In many cases, the correct approach to the solution is the solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Problems include constraints, unbreakable rules about the problem or the way in which the problem must be solved.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“In many cases, the correct approach to the solution is the solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“thinking about the problem may be as productive, or in some cases more productive, than thinking about the solution.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“In general, when the description of a current problem “rings bells,” you’ll want to dig out any similar code from your archives for study.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“We have avoided most of the work for this problem through analogy and have solved the rest through experimentation. This one-two punch is a great approach when a new problem is very similar to another you can already solve.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“Start with the issue that looks the easiest or, if you want a challenge, the one that looks the most difficult. Or just start with the one that’s the most interesting.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“The programmer is not in the same boat. At the risk of sounding like a self-help guru, a frustrated programmer isn’t responding to an external stimulus. The frustrated programmer isn’t angry with the source code on the monitor, although the programmer may express the frustration in those terms. Instead, the frustrated programmer is angry at himself or herself. The source of the frustration is also the destination, the programmer’s mind.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“As demonstrated especially by the fox, goose, and corn problem, restating a problem can produce valuable results. In some cases, a problem that looks very difficult may seem easy when stated in a different way or using different terms. Restating a problem is like circling the base of a hill that you must climb; before starting your climb, why not check out the hill from every angle to see whether there’s an easier way up?”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“You must always have a plan, rather than engaging in directionless activity.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“I call a program like that, one that appears to produce correct results but breaks one or more of the stated rules, a Kobayashi Maru”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving

“If you are unaware of all possible actions you could take, you may be unable to solve the problem.”
― V. Anton Spraul, Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving