Alan Perlis quotes

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In English every word can be verbed. Would that it were so in our programming languages.
Alan Perlis
English
Programming
Word
In computing, turning the obvious into the useful is a living definition of the word "frustration".
Alan Perlis
Living
Obvious
Word
If your computer speaks English, it was probably made in Japan.
Alan Perlis
Computer
English
A picture is worth 10K words - but only those to describe the picture. Hardly any sets of 10K words can be adequately described with pictures.
Alan Perlis
Words
Worth
Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it.
Alan Perlis
Complexity
Fools
A programming language is low level when its programs require attention to the irrelevant.
Alan Perlis
Attention
Language
Programming
Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.
Alan Perlis
Science
Computer
A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.
Alan Perlis
Intelligence
God
In software systems it is often the early bird that makes the worm.
Alan Perlis
Software
I think it is inevitable that people program poorly. Training will not substantially help matters. We have to learn to live with it.
Alan Perlis
People
Help
Training
Will
Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them.
Alan Perlis
Ideas
The computing field is always in need of new cliches.
Alan Perlis
Cliches
You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.
Alan Perlis
Attitude
Measure
Perspective
Vitality
Is it possible that software is not like anything else, that it is meant to be discarded: that the whole point is to always see it as a soap bubble?
Alan Perlis
Software
There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.
Alan Perlis
Error