Every program has (at least) two purposes: the one for which it was written and another for which it wasn't.
The best book on programming for the layman is Alice in Wonderland, but that's because it's the best book on anything for the layman.
Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it.
Some programming languages manage to absorb change, but withstand progress.
It is easier to change the specification to fit the program than vice versa.
Optimization hinders evolution.