I think that it's extraordinarily important that we in computer science keep fun in computing. When it started out, it was an awful lot of fun. Of course, the paying customers got shafted every now and then, and after a while we began to take their complaints seriously. We began to feel as if we really were responsible for the successful, error-free perfect use of these machines. I don't think we are. I think we're responsible for stretching them, setting them off in new directions, and keeping fun in the house. I hope the field of computer science never loses its sense of fun.
One man's constant is another man's variable. - Alan Perlis
One man's constant is another man's variable.
- Alan Perlis
In English every word can be verbed. - Alan Perlis
In English every word can be verbed.
Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it. - Alan Perlis
Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it.
To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program. - Alan Perlis
To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.
It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures. - Alan Perlis
It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures.
A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing. - Alan Perlis
A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing.
There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works. - Alan Perlis
There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.
Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them. - Alan Perlis
Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.
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
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.
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