October 26, 2008

  • Computing Words of Wisdom

    I ran into these recently while I was reading up on computer programming techniques. Computer Words of Wisdom. A few of my favorites excerpted below:

    4. Every program is a part of some other program and rarely
    fits.

    5. If a program manipulates a large amount of data, it does
    so in a small number of ways.

    10. Get into a rut early: Do the same process the same way.
    Accumulate idioms. Standardize. The only difference(!)
    between Shakespeare and you was the size of his idiom list -
    not the size of his vocabulary.

    24. Perhaps if we wrote programs from childhood on, as
    adults we'd be able to read them.

    27. Once you understand how to write a program get someone
    else to write it.

    35. Everyone can be taught to sculpt: Michelangelo would
    have had to be taught not to. So it is with great
    programmers.

    39. Re: graphics: 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.

    46. Like punning, programming is a play on words.

    48. 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.

    57. It is easier to change the specification to fit the
    program than vice versa.

    63. When we write programs that "learn", it turns out that
    we do and they don't.

    69. In a 5 year period we get one superb programming
    language. Only we can't control when the 5 year period will
    be.

    70. Over the centuries the Indians developed sign language
    for communicating phenomena of interest. Programmers from
    different tribes (FORTRAN, LISP, ALGOL, SNOBOL, etc.) could
    use one that doesn't require them to carry a blackboard on
    their ponies.

    71. Documentation is like term insurance: It satisfies
    because almost no one who subscribes to it depends on its
    benefits.

    83. What is the difference between a Turing machine and the
    modern computer? It's the same as that between Hillary's
    ascent of Everest and the establishment of a Hilton hotel on
    its peak.

    84. Motto for a research laboratory: What we work on today,
    others will first think of tomorrow.

    87. We have the mini and the micro computer. In what
    semantic niche would the pico computer fall?

    92. The computer is the ultimate polluter: its feces are
    indistinguish- able from the food it produces.

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

    98. In computing, the mean time to failure keeps getting
    shorter.

    99. In man-machine symbiosis, it is man who must adjust: The
    machines can't.

    104. The proof of a system's value is its existence.

    108. Whenever two programmers meet to criticize their
    programs, both are silent.

    112. Computer Science is embarrassed by the computer.

    113. The only constructive theory connecting neuroscience
    and psychology will arise from the study of software.

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

    117. It goes against the grain of modern education to teach
    children to program. What fun is there in making plans,
    acquiring discipline in organizing thoughts, devoting
    attention to detail and learning to be self-critical?
    119. Programming is an unnatural act.
    120. Adapting old programs to fit new machines usually means
    adapting new machines to behave like old ones.