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Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon.
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
Syntactic
Semicolon
Lisp
Programming
Sugar
Cancer
Causes
More quotes by Alan Perlis
Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't.
Alan Perlis
In programming, as in everything else, to be in error is to be reborn.
Alan Perlis
Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.
Alan Perlis
Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves.
Alan Perlis
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
There is no such thing as a free variable.
Alan Perlis
Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress.
Alan Perlis
When someone says, I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done, give him a lollipop.
Alan Perlis
A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.
Alan Perlis
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
You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.
Alan Perlis
If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.
Alan Perlis
Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it.
Alan Perlis
A LISP programmer knows the value of everything, but the cost of nothing.
Alan Perlis
Programmers are not to be measured by their ingenuity and their logic but by the completeness of their case analysis.
Alan Perlis
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
In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word frustration.
Alan Perlis
Optimization hinders evolution.
Alan Perlis
C programmers never die. They are just cast into void.
Alan Perlis
Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.
Alan Perlis
