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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
English
Word
Language
Every

More quotes by Alan Perlis

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There is no such thing as a free variable.
Alan Perlis
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Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.
Alan Perlis
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Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.
Alan Perlis
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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.
Alan Perlis
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A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.
Alan Perlis
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If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.
Alan Perlis
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If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.
Alan Perlis
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It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa.
Alan Perlis
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A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming.
Alan Perlis
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Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress.
Alan Perlis
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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.
Alan Perlis
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We toast the Lisp programmer who pens his thoughts within nests of parentheses.
Alan Perlis
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Motto for a research laboratory: what we work on today, others will first think of tomorrow.
Alan Perlis
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To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.
Alan Perlis
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Once you understand how to write a program get someone else to write it.
Alan Perlis
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In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word frustration.
Alan Perlis
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Optimization hinders evolution.
Alan Perlis
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One man's constant is another man's variable.
Alan Perlis
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Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it.
Alan Perlis
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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.
Alan Perlis