Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a
touch of genius—and a lot of courage— to move in the opposite direction.
—E. F. Schumacher, 1973
The price of reliability is the pursuit of the utmost simplicity.
—C. A. R. Hoare, 1980
What we decided to leave out is almost as important as what we put in.
—Joshua Schachter, 2006
Perfection [in design] is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but
when there is no longer anything to take away.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1939
Novelties come from previously unseen association of old material. To create is to
recombine.
—François Jacob, 1977
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that
worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched to
work.
32
—John Gall, 1975
There’s no system foolproof enough to defeat a sufficiently great fool.
—Edward Teller, 1988
Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so
complicated.
—Paul Rand, 2008
Designing your product for monetization first, and people second will probably leave you
with neither.
—Tara Hunt, 2009
***
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
—Francis Bacon, 1620
33
[Nature] is always fair, just, and patient. But [it] never overlooks a mistake, or makes a
smallest allowance for ignorance.
—Thomas Henry Huxley, 1868
Against the laws of nature, there is no appeal.
—Arthur C. Clarke, 1965
32
The so-called Gall’s Law.
33
Possibly stemming from on a much earlier (circa 40s AD) line by Seneca: “He who cannot obey,
cannot command”.
On Science and Technology
39
touch of genius—and a lot of courage— to move in the opposite direction.
—E. F. Schumacher, 1973
The price of reliability is the pursuit of the utmost simplicity.
—C. A. R. Hoare, 1980
What we decided to leave out is almost as important as what we put in.
—Joshua Schachter, 2006
Perfection [in design] is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but
when there is no longer anything to take away.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1939
Novelties come from previously unseen association of old material. To create is to
recombine.
—François Jacob, 1977
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that
worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched to
work.
32
—John Gall, 1975
There’s no system foolproof enough to defeat a sufficiently great fool.
—Edward Teller, 1988
Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so
complicated.
—Paul Rand, 2008
Designing your product for monetization first, and people second will probably leave you
with neither.
—Tara Hunt, 2009
***
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
—Francis Bacon, 1620
33
[Nature] is always fair, just, and patient. But [it] never overlooks a mistake, or makes a
smallest allowance for ignorance.
—Thomas Henry Huxley, 1868
Against the laws of nature, there is no appeal.
—Arthur C. Clarke, 1965
32
The so-called Gall’s Law.
33
Possibly stemming from on a much earlier (circa 40s AD) line by Seneca: “He who cannot obey,
cannot command”.
On Science and Technology
39