Was Tony Hoare's work on formal methods always accepted?
While the value of formal methods is now more widely appreciated, there has certainly been a journey. Early on, the rigorous, mathematical approach I advocated was sometimes seen as overly academic or impractical. The effort required for formal specification and verification was a barrier for some. However, as software systems grew in complexity and the cost of errors became apparent, the benefits of a proven, dependable foundation became undeniable. Persistence in demonstrating the efficacy of these methods has been key.
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