Quotes from Alan Perlis

You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.

If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.

Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.

In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm.

You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.

A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.

If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.

I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it.

In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word 'frustration'.

It goes against the grain of modern education to teach students to program. What fun is there to making plans, acquiring discipline, organizing thoughts, devoting attention to detail, and learning to be self critical.

The computing field is always in need of new cliches.

Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.

I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it.

Learning French is trivial: the word for horse is cheval, and everything else follows in the same way.

When someone says, "I want a programming language in which I need only say what I want done," give him a lollipop.

A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.

To understand a program, you must become both the machine and the program.

You think you KNOW when you learn, are more sure when you can write, even more when you can teach, but certain when you can program.

A good programming language is a conceptual universe for thinking about programming.

Any noun can be verbed.

Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.

When a professor insists computer science is X but not Y, have compassion for his graduate students.

Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.

It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one.