More from Alan Perlis
To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis FORTRAN is not a flower but a weed – it is hardy, occasionally blooms, and grows in every computer.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Banality soothes our nerves.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis In man-machine symbiosis, it is man who must adjust: The machines can’t.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis “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.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Don’t have good ideas if you aren’t willing to be responsible for them.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Optimization hinders evolution.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Is it possible that software is not like anything else.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis One man’s constant is another man’s variable.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Learning French is trivial: the word for horse is cheval, and everything else follows in the same way.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis What fun is there in making plans, acquiring discipline in organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail and learning to be self-critical?
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis Hardly any sets of 10K words can be adequately described with pictures.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis You can measure a programmer’s perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis It goes against the grain of modern education to teach children to program.
Alan PerlisAlan Perlis
Original quotes
From our community writers
Caught inside my mind trapped between its horrid lines losing precious time.
Carmen AmadosCarmen Amados Some women will have you look at life differently.
Eleni SophiaEleni Sophia The biggest reward often require the largest risks.
Nicole BrownNicole Brown Being with you is familiar, like playing guitar after some time; the theory is there but my fingers have forgotten the chords.
AstaAsta Late-night conservations, Breathtaking memories, and an endless sky full of unseen dazzling stars. That’s how I want to remember us.
AurthurAurthur Nothing is more terrifying than falling in love.
Helena DegnHelena Degn People who cannot see through souls will keep searching for beauty in faces and will never find it.
Shilpa GoelShilpa Goel There is someone out there waiting to love you in all the ways you deserve.
Ashley PrzywolskiAshley Przywolski
Meet the writers
More on certain
The soul helps the body, and at certain moments raises it. It is the only bird that sustains its cage.
Victor HugoVictor Hugo An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God.
Carl SaganCarl Sagan At a certain point, if you chase two rabbits, you lose them both.
Taylor SwiftTaylor Swift I don’t know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream.
Vincent Van GoghVincent Van Gogh Except in pure mathematics, nothing is known for certain (although much is certainly false).
Carl SaganCarl Sagan Growing old is unavoidable, but never growing up is possible. I believe you can retain certain things from your childhood if you protect them – certain traits, certain places where you don’t let the world go.
Johnny DeppJohnny Depp My mother would kill me if I posed nude! My mother raised me with certain standards.
RihannaRihanna There is nothing on earth that could ever make me want to relive certain years of my life when I was young.
Johnny DeppJohnny Depp