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

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
Cast
Casts
Dies
Never
Programmers
Void

More quotes by Alan Perlis

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In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm.
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In English every word can be verbed. Would that it were so in our programming languages.
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One man's constant is another man's variable.
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There are two ways to write error-free programs only the third one works.
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In programming, as in everything else, to be in error is to be reborn.
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A picture is worth 10K words - but only those to describe the picture. Hardly any sets of 10K words can be adequately described with pictures.
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It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures.
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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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Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves.
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Any noun can be verbed.
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Optimization hinders evolution.
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A LISP programmer knows the value of everything, but the cost of nothing.
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To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.
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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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We toast the Lisp programmer who pens his thoughts within nests of parentheses.
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If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.
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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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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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You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.
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Dealing with failure is easy: Work hard to improve. Success is also easy to handle: You've solved the wrong problem. Work hard to improve.
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