Rules of Optimization: Rule 1: Don’t do it. Rule 2 (for experts only): Don’t do it yet. -- M.A. Jackson

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)

That is the inevitable human response. We’re reluctant to believe that great discoveries are in the air. We want to believe that great discoveries are in our heads—and to each party in the multiple the presence of the other party is invariably cause for suspicion. -- Malcolm Gladwell, Who says big ideas are rare?

If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough. -- Alan Kay

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. -- Hans Hofmann

Don't stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed. -- George Burns

Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time. ~George Bernard Shaw

Education costs money. But then so does ignorance. –Sir Claus Moser

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

Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value. ~Albert Einstein