Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.Harold Abelson
A computational process is indeed much like a sorcerer’s idea of a spirit.Harold Abelson
Each object we deal with in programs has ‘state’ which we may inquire or modify.Harold Abelson
In effect, metaphysics is a description of the way things are. Epistemology is an explanation of how we know what we know. Similarly, programs are meant to bring about a certain state of affairs, and the directions given to the machine tell it what we want done.Harold Abelson
We control complexity by building abstractions that hide details when appropriate.Harold Abelson
Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon.Harold Abelson
I think that it’s extraordinarily important that we keep the internet open and free and the way it is.Harold Abelson
We will be severely limited in our ability to design systems of any complexity if every part must modify every other, when we change the system.Harold Abelson
The computer revolution is a revolution in the way we think and in the way we express what we think.Harold Abelson
We will change our programs in such a way as to introduce constraints about what paths of control can lie in progress at any one instant.Harold Abelson