Everyone by now presumably knows about the danger of premature optimization. I think we should be just as worried about premature design - designing too early what a program should do.
Paul Graham, a renowned programmer and entrepreneur, cautions against designing a program too early, as it may hinder its potential and flexibility.
The quote emphasizes the importance of balancing design and optimization in software development, highlighting the potential drawbacks of premature design.
In the early days of computer programming, the quote's author, Paul Graham, was a prominent figure in the development of Lisp and the creation of the company Viaweb, which was later acquired by Yahoo!
Paul Graham is a programmer, entrepreneur, and investor. He is best known for his work on the programming languages Lisp and Scheme, as well as his role in the development of the company Viaweb.
This quote can be applied to various aspects of software development, such as planning, designing, and optimizing code. It encourages developers to strike a balance between these processes to create efficient and effective programs.
There are no notable criticisms or controversies surrounding this quote, as it is a general cautionary statement that is widely applicable and easy to understand.