"The random quantum fluctuations of my brain are historical accidents that happen to have decided that the concepts of dynamic scoping and lexical scoping are orthogonal and should remain that way."

Larry Wall Technology See all quotes by Larry Wall →

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“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

"Never before in the history of war had there been a more convincing example of the effectiveness of sea power than when a well-armed, highly efficient and undefeated army of over a million men surrend…"

— Ernest King

Military1878–1956

#history

"Take movement for example. Forces acting up, down, or from side to side. You make theories to explain it all, but you might well remember that it was you that invented them all. For Mach there was no …"

— James Burke (science historian)

Philosophy1936

#philosophy

"I would not have you believe for one minute tonight that there are not white persons of good will in the South. I am absolutely convinced that there are hundred and thousands, nay millions of white pe…"

— Martin Luther King

Social Activism1929–1968

#leadership

"Nothing may happen without wyrd, for it is present in everything, but wyrd does not make things happen. Wyrd is created at every instant, and so wyrd is the happening."

— Brian Bates (psychologist)

Psychology1947

#time