About optimization

[mario]

I recently read an excellent quote on program optimization, so decided to share it here in absence of my own original thoughts:

"We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%. A good programmer will not be lulled into complacency by such reasoning, he will be wise to look carefully at the critical code; but only after that code has been identified" - Donald Knuth

[Cupid]

I am minded to the following phrase:

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'

simple but quite profound when thought about in detail... I have no idea who first came up with it.
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Mark