FreeGameDev

What about displaying short quotes on the loading screen? Not COD-style quotes about war but rather quotes related or applicable to computer systems.

Couple of examples:

Brian W. Kernighan {l Wrote}:Everyone knows that debugging is twice as hard as writing a program in the first place. So if you're as clever as you can be when you write it, how will you ever debug it?

Ken Thompson {l Wrote}:No amount of source-level verification or scrutiny will protect you from using untrusted code.

Dennis Ritchie {l Wrote}:When I read commentary about suggestions for where C should go, I often think back and give thanks that it wasn't developed under the advice of a worldwide crowd.

Rob Pike {l Wrote}:Object-oriented design is the roman numerals of computing.

Tom Duff {l Wrote}:Don't use hands to do things that can be efficiently done by the computer.

Everybody feel free to post more quotes.

In before the profane Linus Torwalds quotes

Cool idea though.

I think the programming quotes can only be understood by programmers.

Better to use generic quotes about computing.

Ken Olson {l Wrote}:There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.

Grace Hopper {l Wrote}:From then on, when anything went wrong with a computer, we said it had bugs in it.

Be careful with computing quotes. Many quotes are falsely attributed. Use Wikiquote to check or search for quotes.


But actually, I still don’t think they fit well 100%. Maybe some quotes from sci-fi / cyberpunk literature about virtual reality are best.

Not all quotes have to be as nerdy as my examples, but I'd like to throw a few programming quotes in there

Why bother with subroutines when you can type fast?
Vaughn Rokosz

All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection.
David Wheeler?

When in doubt, use brute force.
Ken Thompson

Zawinski's Law: Every program attempts to expand until it can read mail. Those programs which cannot so expand are replaced by ones which can.
Jamie Zawinski

If debugging is the process of removing bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.
Edsger W. Dijkstra

What about quotes from games:

Trust The Computer. The Computer is your friend.
"Computer's Credo", Paranoia

I LOVE this idea!!

Steve Wozniak {l Wrote}:Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window.

Joseph Weizenbaum {l Wrote}:A computer will do what you tell it to do, but that may be much different from what you had in mind.

Larry Wall {l Wrote}:The three chief virtues of a programmer are: Laziness, Impatience and Hubris.

A bit racy:

On virtual memory, Seymour Cray {l Wrote}:Memory is like an orgasm. It's a lot better if you don't have to fake it.

Friedrich Bauer {l Wrote}:Software engineering is the part of computer science which is too difficult for the computer scientist.

Edsger Dijkstra {l Wrote}:GOTO is a four letter word.

(explanation)

Gameplay hints would be way better.

mray, you hit the nail on the head!

Right, just screw the random quotes!

Because delivering a good game experience and not an attitude (that always comes with the selection of said quotes) should be the goal.
Or:

Do one thing and do it well.

-Doug McIlroy on the Unix Philosophy

/me is with Julius

What about having a random quote on the main menu (à la Dwarf Fortress) and a hint while loading?