“The practice of first developing a clear and precise definition of a process without regard for efficiency, and then using it as a guide and a test in exploring equivalent processes possessing other characteristics, such as greater efficiency, is very common in mathematics. It is a very fruitful practice which should not be blighted by premature emphasis on efficiency in computer execution.”

—  Kenneth E. Iverson

§5.4
Notation as a Tool of Thought (1979)

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Kenneth E. Iverson 12
Canadian computer scientist 1920–2004

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