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

Alan Perlis

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Alan Perlis
Age: 67 †
Born: 1922
Born: April 1
Died: 1990
Died: February 7
Computer Scientist
Mathematician
University Teacher
Pittsburg
Pennsylvania
Alan Jay Perlis
Alan J. Perlis
Change
Versa
Programming
Vice
Vices
Fit
Program
Computer
Specification
Easier
Specifications

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It goes against the grain of modern education to teach children to program. What fun is there in making plans, acquiring discipline in organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail and learning to be self-critical?
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Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.
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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.
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When someone says, I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done, give him a lollipop.
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Any noun can be verbed.
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Optimization hinders evolution. Everything should be built top-down, except the first time. Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.
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A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing.
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Learning French is trivial: the word for horse is cheval, and everything else follows in the same way.
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In the long run, every program becomes rococo, and then rubble.
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In computing, the mean time to failure keeps getting shorter.
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Once you understand how to write a program get someone else to write it.
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You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.
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Every reader should ask himself periodically “Toward what end, toward what end?”—but do not ask it too often lest you pass up the fun of programming for the constipation of bittersweet philosophy.
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FORTRAN is not a flower but a weed - it is hardy, occasionally blooms, and grows in every computer.
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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.
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Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon.
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Motto for a research laboratory: what we work on today, others will first think of tomorrow.
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Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't.
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C programmers never die. They are just cast into void.
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If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.
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