Quirk Time

#2 is not a wierd habit. It is the definition of computer programming. And it has a wonderful heritage, don’t you know?

Rovol seated himself beside the younger man, like one organist joining another at the console of a tremendous organ. Seaton’s nimble fingers would flashg here and there, depressing keys and manipulating controls until he had exactly the required combination of forces … He would then press a tiny switch and upon a panel full of red-topped, numbered plungers the one next in series would drive home, transferring to itself the assembled beam and releasing the keys for the assembly of other forces. Rovol’s fingers were also flying, but the forces he directed were seizing and shaping materials, as well as other forces. The Norlaminian physicist set up one integral, stepped upon a pedal and a new red-topped stop precisely like the others, and numbered in order, appeared as though by magic upon the panel at Seaton’s left hand. Rovol then leaned back in his seat – but the red-topped stops continued to appear, at the rate of exactly seenty per minute, upon the panel, which increased in width sufficiently to accomodate another row as soon as a row was completed.
Rovol bent a quizzical glance upon the younger scientist, who blushed a firey red, rapidly set up another integral, then also leaned back in his place, while his face burned deeper than before.
“That is better, son. Never forget that it is a waste of energy to do the same thing twice, and that if you know precisely what is to be done, you need not do it personally at all. Forces are faster than human hands, they are tireless, and they neither slip nor make mistakes.”
[E. E. “Doc” Smith, SkyLark Three (1930)]