Quote

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

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
Doe
Precede
Firsts
Hinder
Everything
Follows
First
Complexity
Time
Simplicity
Evolution
Except
Optimization
Built
Hinders

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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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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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To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.
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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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A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming.
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I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it.
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Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.
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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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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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In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm.
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Any noun can be verbed.
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If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.
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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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Programmers are not to be measured by their ingenuity and their logic but by the completeness of their case analysis.
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Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.
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When a professor insists computer science is X but not Y, have compassion for his graduate students.
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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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A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing.
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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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In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word frustration.
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