艾倫·佩利
第一屆圖靈獎(jiǎng)得主
In programming, everything we do is a special case of something more general -- and often we know it too quickly.
For systems, the analogue of a face-lift is to add to the control graph an edge that creates a cycle, not just an additional node.
Around computers it is difficult to find the correct unit of time to measure progress. Some cathedrals took a century to complete. Can you imagine the grandeur and scope of a program that would take as long?
Once you understand how to write a program get someone else to write it.
There will always be things we wish to say in our programs that in all known languages can only be said poorly.
One can only display complex information in the mind. Like seeing, movement or flow or alteration of view is more important than the static picture, no matter how lovely.
Perhaps if we wrote programs from childhood on, as adults we'd be able to read them.
To understand a program you must become both the machine and the program.
A good system can't have a weak command language.
Optimization hinders evolution.
Wherever there is modularity there is the potential for misunderstanding: Hiding information implies a need to check communication.
A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing.
A program without a loop and a structured variable isn't worth writing.
If a listener nods his head when you're explaining your program, wake him up.
Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written, and another for which it wasn't.
Everything should be built top-down, except the first time.
In the long run every program becomes rococo - then rubble.
If two people write exactly the same program, each should be put into microcode and then they certainly won't be the same.
Recursion is the root of computation since it trades description for time.
If you have a procedure with ten parameters, you probably missed some.