Gabe Newell Quotes

We shifted our philosophy from being a computer mapping group that would support planners to the idea of building actual software that would be well engineered. Because at that time, our software was not well-engineered at all; it was basically built with project funding and for project work, largely by ourselves.

I have never written a line of commercial code in my life. Nor should I.

I designed and developed an unbelievable number of applications early in my life.

Like any well designed software product, Windows is designed, developed and tested as an integrated whole.

Creeping featurism is a disease, fatal if not treated promptly. There are some cures, but, as usual, the best approach is to practice preventative medicine.

If we're trying to build a world-class News Feed and a world-class messaging product and a world-class search product and a world-class ad system, and invent virtual reality and build drones, I can't write every line of code. I can't write any lines of code.

Software Engineering might be science; but that's not what I do. I'm a hacker, not an engineer.

First, I'd like to see the basic tools such as compilers, debuggers, profilers, database interfaces, GUI builders, CAD tools, and so forth fully support the ISO standard.

My background was computer science and business school, so eventually I worked my way up where I was running product groups - development, testing, marketing, user education.

The most sought-after candidates in the world today by companies like mine are people who make computer software - there's a shortage of talent.

I know one business, and that's how to make software.

Most software today is very much like an Egyptian pyramid with millions of bricks piled on top of each other, with no structural integrity, but just done by brute force and thousands of slaves.

It's strategic for us - lots of people will develop applications in .NET.

I basically wrote the code and the specs and documentation for how the client and server talked to each other.

Indeed, the woes of Software Engineering are not due to lack of tools, or proper management, but largely due to lack of sufficient technical competence.

Yet, I am convinced that there is a need for high quality software, and the time will come when it will be recognized that it is worth investing effort in its development and in using a careful, structured approach based on safe, structured languages.

Our business model is primarily that of consulting, engineering, system integration, and managed services.

Although the most advanced software innovation may take place in big cities with research universities, there is a lot of work concerning the application of software to business processes and the administration and maintenance of software systems that can be done remotely.

The thing that the Microsoft folks did a really good job of is the easy-to-use tools for making application-building simple.

Software eventually and necessarily gained the same respect as any other discipline.

Complexity control is the central problem of writing software in the real world

Press releases are easier to write than code, and that is still easier than making a great product.

In the software business there are many enterprises for which it is not clear that science can help them; that science should try is not clear either.

Listen to your customers, but don't always build exactly what they're telling you. This is a really key distinction around building enterprise software.

People will realize that software is not a product; you use it to build a product.