In total desperation, I called over to the engineering building, and I said, 'Please cut off a nanosecond and send it over to me.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- In a desperate moment, Hopper asked engineers to 'cut off a nanosecond' and send it to her.
- In plain terms
- She humorously requested a tiny slice of time from engineers.
- What can you take from it?
- Even tiny time units can be crucial in computing.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does humor aid technical communication?
- What does a nanosecond represent in computing?
Another view
The request is metaphorical, not a literal technical operation.
More from Grace Hopper
I handed my passport to the immigration officer, and he looked at it and looked at me and said, 'What are you?'
Permalink to quote #5 At the end of about a week, I called back and said, 'I need something to compare this to. Could I please have a microsecond?'
Permalink to quote #7 It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.
Permalink to quote #4
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