Alan Perlis
software system early bird worm
"In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
procedure parameters missed some
"If you have a procedure with 10 parameters, you probably missed some."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
constant variable man
"One man's constant is another man's variable."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
complexity fool pragmatic genius avoid
"Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
computer science embarrassed
"Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
computing turn obvious useful frustration
"In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word 'frustration'."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
easier write incorrect program understand correct
"It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
program purpose written
"Every program has two purposes: The one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)
book programming alice wonderland
"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 (1922-1990)
programming language change progress
"Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress."
—Alan Perlis (1922-1990)