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"Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist who couldn't explain to an eight-year-old what he was doing was a charlatan." - from Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's

by troymc 14y ago

"Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist who couldn't explain to an eight-year-old what he was doing was a charlatan." - from Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle

tptacek 14y ago
Yes. Definitely go with epigrams from works of fiction to guide engineering decisions.
- lawn 14y ago
  You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein
  - Nursie 14y ago
    "The problem with quotes from the internet is it is hard to verify their authenticity" - Abraham Lincoln
    - lifeisstillgood 14y ago
      Totally worth a T-shirt http://www.cafepress.co.uk/cp/customize/product2.aspx?from=CustomDesigner&number=726533417 http://www.cafepress.co.uk/cp/customize/product2.aspx?from=C...
    - deleted 14y ago
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  - tptacek 14y ago
    It does not then follow that when someone refuses to explain something to you like you are their grandmother that they do not really understand what they're talking about. Also I'm pretty sure that's Diablo Cody's quote, not Einstein's.
chc 14y ago
There's a difference between explaining to an eight-year-old what you're doing and instructing that eight-year-old in how to do the same thing safely without spending a long time on his education.
- deleted 14y ago
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