LISP programmers know the value of everything and the cost of nothing. Alan Perlis More Quotes by Alan Perlis More Quotes From Alan Perlis A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God. Alan Perlis technologysciencebelieve It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures. Alan Perlis functiondatatrust In the long run, every program becomes rococo, and then rubble. Alan Perlis humorousrunninglong Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it. Alan Perlis life-and-lovegeniussuffering A programming language is low level when its programs require attention to the irrelevant. Alan Perlis levelslanguageattention There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works. Alan Perlis errorswritingtwo A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing. Alan Perlis learningknowingthinking Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them. Alan Perlis computingresponsibleideas If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up. Alan Perlis listenersprogramexplaining To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program. Alan Perlis programmachineslearning Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it. Alan Perlis simple-lifesimplicitydoe In man-machine symbiosis, it is man who must adjust: The machines can't. Alan Perlis symbiosismachinesmen Programmers are not to be measured by their ingenuity and their logic but by the completeness of their case analysis. Alan Perlis logicanalysiscases One man's constant is another man's variable. Alan Perlis variablesconstantmen C programmers never die. They are just cast into void. Alan Perlis programmersvoidcasts 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. Alan Perlis investinghard-workmath When someone says, "I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done," give him a lollipop. Alan Perlis funny-inspirationalgivingneeds It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa. Alan Perlis computerviceschange Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress. Alan Perlis programmingprogresslanguage 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? Alan Perlis learningselffun
