Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves.
Alan PerlisRead
Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't.
Interpretation
Programs often serve unexpected purposes beyond their original design.
This quote by Alan Perlis highlights the nature of programming, where a software application can fulfill its intended purpose while simultaneously taking on unintended roles. This duality reflects the complexity of technology and the varied ways users may interact with and utilize software, emphasizing that the intent behind a program can greatly differ from its practical applications in the real world.
In practice
During a tech conference, to illustrate the versatility of software applications.
Because of its vitality, the computing field is always in desperate need of new cliches: Banality soothes our nerves.
In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word "frustration".
It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures.
A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming.
Every reader should ask himself periodically βToward what end, toward what end?ββbut do not ask it too often lest you pass up the fun of programming for the constipation of bittersweet philosophy.
C programmers never die. They are just cast into void.
The technology keeps moving forward, which makes it easier for the artists to tell their stories and paint the pictures they want.
The way you want to respond is to ask a question: Is this technology directly relevant to our hedgehog concept? If the answer is YES, then we want to become pioneers, not in the technology, but in the application of that technology specifically linked to our hedgehog concept.
First was the mouse. The second was the click wheel. And now, we're going to bring multi-touch to the market. And each of these revolutionary interfaces has made possible a revolutionary product - the Mac, the iPod and now the iPhone.
Techno-humanism aims to amplify the power of humans, creating cyborgs and connecting humans to computers, but it still sees human interests and desires as the highest authority in the universe.
The remarkable social impact and economic success of the Internet is in many ways directly attributable to the architectural characteristics that were part of its design. The Internet was designed with no gatekeepers over new content or services.
If you and your skills are a complement to the computer, your wage and labor market prospects are likely to be cheery. If your skills do not complement the computer, you may want to address that mismatch. Ever more people are starting to fall on one side of the divide or the other. That's why 'average is over.'
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