From 4a6438f25a356886a2cc870d6af7b5abd33f2daf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: grog Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:39:46 +0000 Subject: Add a Dijkstra comment on programming languages. --- games/fortune/datfiles/fortunes | 20 ++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+) (limited to 'games') diff --git a/games/fortune/datfiles/fortunes b/games/fortune/datfiles/fortunes index ba60684..fcb5b7b 100644 --- a/games/fortune/datfiles/fortunes +++ b/games/fortune/datfiles/fortunes @@ -5440,6 +5440,26 @@ destitution of conscience. % Forms follow function, and often obliterate it. % +FORTRAN, "the infantile disorder", by now nearly 20 years old, is +hopelessly inadequate for whatever computer application you have in +mind today: it is now too clumsy, too risky, and too expensive to use. + +PL/I -- "the fatal disease" -- belongs more to the problem set than +the solution set. + +It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students +that have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they +are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration. + +The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be +regarded as a criminal offense. + +APL is a mistake, carried through to perfection. It is the language of +the future for the programming techniques of the past: it creates a +new generation of coding bums. + +Edsger Dijkstra's Evaluations of Programming Languages (c. 1982) +% fortune: cpu time/usefulness ratio too high -- core dumped. % FORTUNE DISCUSSES THE OBSCURE FILMS! #6 -- cgit v1.1