"There are probably better ways to do that, but it would make the parser more complex. I do, occasionally, struggle feebly against complexity..."

Larry Wall Technology See all quotes by Larry Wall →

React to this quote

More by Larry Wall

“I want to see people using Perl to glue things together creatively, not just technically but also socially.”

“echo $package has manual pages available in source form.echo 'However, you don't have nroff, so they're probably useless to you.”

“Perhaps I'm missing the gene for making enemies.”

“We all agree on the necessity of compromise. We just can't agree on when it's necessary to compromise.”

“Anyway, there's plenty of room for doubt. It might seem easy enough, but computer language design is just like a stroll in the park.Jurassic Park, that is.”

“Double *sigh*. _04 is going onto thousands of CDs even as we speak, so to speak.”

Resonant Thoughts

"As fish in the water love deep places and wells and are most frequently found there, so wicked men have a great love to carnal security and have no will to strive against the stream. Fish love deep pl…"

— Thomas Boston

Politics1677–1732

#love

"I speak to these people, and I speak to you because I cannot help it. It gives me strength, almost unbelievable strength, to know that you are there. I covet your eyes, your ears, the collapsible spac…"

— Dave Eggers

Literature1970

#life

"All I knew about the word "cyberspace" when I coined it, was that it seemed like an effective buzzword. It seemed evocative and essentially meaningless. It was suggestive of something, but had no real…"

— William Gibson

Literature1948–2008

#friendship

"The dispute between the League and Italy is real, but it is not more real than our friendship...in being true to our pledged word to the League we wish also to preserve an old friendship. But loyalty …"

— Stanley Baldwin

Politics1867–1947

#friendship