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Alan Perlis Quotes

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Alan Perlis Quotes: "Adapting old programs to fit new machines usually means adapting new machines to behave like old ones."

Adapting old programs to fit new machines usually means adapting new machines to behave like old ones.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it."

Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it.




Alan Perlis Quotes: "When someone says, "I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done," give him a lollipop."

When someone says, "I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done," give him a lollipop.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures."

It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures.




Alan Perlis Quotes: "In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm."

In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works."

There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "A programming language is low level when its programs require attention to the irrelevant."

A programming language is low level when its programs require attention to the irrelevant.




Alan Perlis Quotes: "Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon."

Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan."

If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing."

A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't."

Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it."

Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.




Alan Perlis Quotes: "To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program."

To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "One man's constant is another man's variable."

One man's constant is another man's variable.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Motto for a research laboratory: what we work on today, others will first think of tomorrow."

Motto for a research laboratory: what we work on today, others will first think of tomorrow.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Programmers are not to be measured by their ingenuity and their logic but by the completeness of their case analysis."

Programmers are not to be measured by their ingenuity and their logic but by the completeness of their case analysis.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them."

Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In the long run, every program becomes rococo, and then rubble."

In the long run, every program becomes rococo, and then rubble.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it."

I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer."

Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Optimization hinders evolution."

Optimization hinders evolution.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "C programmers never die. They are just cast into void."

C programmers never die. They are just cast into void.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "We toast the Lisp programmer who pens his thoughts within nests of parentheses."

We toast the Lisp programmer who pens his thoughts within nests of parentheses.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In English every word can be verbed."

In English every word can be verbed.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word "frustration"."

In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word "frustration".



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves."

Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In man-machine symbiosis, it is man who must adjust: The machines can't."

In man-machine symbiosis, it is man who must adjust: The machines can't.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress."

Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN."

You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "The best book on programming for the layman is Alice in Wonderland, but that's because it's the best book on anything for the layman."

The best book on programming for the layman is Alice in Wonderland, but that's because it's the best book on anything for the layman.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up."

If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "When a professor insists computer science is X but not Y, have compassion for his graduate students."

When a professor insists computer science is X but not Y, have compassion for his graduate students.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa."

It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Is it possible that software is not like anything else, that it is meant to be discarded: that the whole point is to always see it as a soap bubble?"

Is it possible that software is not like anything else, that it is meant to be discarded: that the whole point is to always see it as a soap bubble?



Alan Perlis Quotes: "You think you KNOW when you learn, are more sure when you can write, even more when you can teach, but certain when you can program."

You think you KNOW when you learn, are more sure when you can write, even more when you can teach, but certain when you can program.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Any noun can be verbed."

Any noun can be verbed.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In English every word can be verbed. Would that it were so in our programming languages."

In English every word can be verbed. Would that it were so in our programming languages.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "FORTRAN is not a flower but a weed - it is hardy, occasionally blooms, and grows in every computer."

FORTRAN is not a flower but a weed - it is hardy, occasionally blooms, and grows in every computer.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In programming, as in everything else, to be in error is to be reborn."

In programming, as in everything else, to be in error is to be reborn.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming."

A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "A LISP programmer knows the value of everything, but the cost of nothing."

A LISP programmer knows the value of everything, but the cost of nothing.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "There is no such thing as a free variable."

There is no such thing as a free variable.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "In computing, the mean time to failure keeps getting shorter."

In computing, the mean time to failure keeps getting shorter.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Optimization hinders evolution. Everything should be built top-down, except the first time. Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it."

Optimization hinders evolution. Everything should be built top-down, except the first time. Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "Often it is the means that justify the ends: goals advance technique and technique survives even when goal structures crumble."

Often it is the means that justify the ends: goals advance technique and technique survives even when goal structures crumble.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "If you have a procedure with 10 parameters, you probably missed some."

If you have a procedure with 10 parameters, you probably missed some.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "One can't proceed from the informal to the formal by formal means."

One can't proceed from the informal to the formal by formal means.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "We are on the verge: Today our program proved Fermat's next-to-last theorem."

We are on the verge: Today our program proved Fermat's next-to-last theorem.



Alan Perlis Quotes: "One can only display complex information in the mind. Like seeing, movement or flow or alteration of view is more important than the static picture, no matter how lovely."

One can only display complex information in the mind. Like seeing, movement or flow or alteration of view is more important than the static picture, no matter how lovely.