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The idea behind digital computers may be explained by saying that these machines are intended to carry out any operations which could be done by a human computer.

— Alan Turing Computing Machinery and Intelligence (1950)

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Computers

More quotes by Alan Turing

We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.

Computing Machinery and Intelligence (1950)

A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human.

Computing Machinery and Intelligence (1950)

I am not very impressed with theological arguments whatever they may be used to support. Such arguments have often been found unsatisfactory in the past.

Computing Machinery and Intelligence (1950)

Science is a differential equation. Religion is a boundary condition.

Epigram to Robin Gandy (1954)

This is only a foretaste of what is to come, and only the shadow of what is going to be.

All Alan Turing quotes →

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Software engineering is the part of computer science which is too difficult for the computer scientist.

Friedrich Bauer Bauer (1971)

Einstein argued that there must be simplified explanations of nature, because God is not capricious or arbitrary. No such faith comforts the software engineer.

Fred Brooks

Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.

Andrew S. Tanenbaum

The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.

Richard Hamming Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers (1962)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Alan Turing (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.