But I know what's important to me, and what isn't. And I think I know what people can get used to, and what they can even learn to like. (It just takes some people longer than others. :-)

Younger hackers are hard to classify. They're probably just as diverse as the old hackers are. We're all over the map.

At many levels, Perl is a 'diagonal' language.

Most of you are familiar with the virtues of a programmer. There are three, of course: laziness, impatience, and hubris.

For me, writing is a love-hate relationship.

Portability should be the default.

I think software patents are a bad idea. Many patents are given for trivial inventions.

Symmetry is overrated. Overrated is symmetry.

The Harvard Law states: Under controlled conditions of light, temperature, humidity, and nutrition, the organism will do as it damn well pleases.

Over the long term, symbiosis is more useful than parasitism. More fun, too. Ask any mitochondria.

Hubris itself will not let you be an artist.

The crow flew closer, as if to hear its praises.

The Bible teaches that man can undergo a radical spiritual and moral change that is brought about by God Himself.

When angry, count to Zen.

My Master had power and law on his side

I guess libertarianism is always considered so weird and fringe that people assume that you're in the closet if you don't go around talking about it.

We don't need someone who can think. We need someone with enough digits to hold a pen.

I love music. I do play. It's like mathematics, and it's also emotional. It's nice to play, for no other reason than just to play.

Family romances are the only ones that never turn out happily.

Focus on the process of what it takes to be successful.