The venerable master Qc Na was walking with his student, Anton. Hoping to prompt the master into a discussion, Anton said "Master, I have heard that objects are a very good thing - is this true?" Qc Na looked pityingly at his student and replied, "Foolish pupil - objects are merely a poor man's closures." Chastised, Anton took his leave from his master and returned to his cell, intent on studying closures. He carefully read the entire "Lambda: The Ultimate..." series of papers and its cousins, and implemented a small Scheme interpreter with a closure-based object system. He learned much, and looked forward to informing his master of his progress. On his next walk with Qc Na, Anton attempted to impress his master by saying "Master, I have diligently studied the matter, and now understand that objects are truly a poor man's closures." Qc Na responded by hitting Anton with his stick, saying "When will you learn? Closures are a poor man's object." At that moment, Anton became enlightened. -- Anton van Straaten (Na = Norman Adams, Qa = Christian Queinnec)

Don't have good ideas if you aren't willing to be responsible for them. -- Alan Perlis

The proof is by reductio ad absurdum, and reductio ad absurdum, which Euclid loved so much, is one of a mathematician’s finest weapons. It is a far finer gambit than any chess gambit: a chess player may offer the sacrifice of a pawn or even a piece, but a mathematician offers the game. -- G. H. Hardy

It(mastering)’s knowing what you are doing. -- Joesgoals.com

A CS professor once explained recursion as follows: A child couldn't sleep, so her mother told her a story about a little frog, who couldn't sleep, so the frog's mother told her a story about a little bear, who couldn't sleep, so the bear's mother told her a story about a little weasel... who fell asleep. ...and the little bear fell asleep; ...and the little frog fell asleep; ...and the child fell asleep. -- everything2.com

I feel it is everybodies obligation to reach for the best in themselves and use that for the interest of mankind. -- Corneluis (comment on 'Are you going to change the world? (Really?)')

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear. –Rosa Parks

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. ~David Brinkley

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. –Plato

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. –Anne Frank