Get the weirdnesses into the data where you can manipulate them easily, and the regularity into the code because regular code is a lot easier to work with

As we said in the preface to the first edition, C "wears well as one's experience with it grows." With a decade more experience, we still feel that way.

Some compilers allow a check during execution that subscripts do not exceed array dimensions. This is a help, but not sufficient. First, many programmers do not use such compilers because They're not efficient. (Presumably, this means that it is vital to get the wrong answers quickly.)

Do what you think is interesting, do something that you think is fun and worthwhile, because otherwise you won't do it well anyway.

If you're as clever as you can be when you write it, how will you ever debug it?

90% of the functionality delivered now is better than 100% delivered never.

Trivia rarely affect efficiency. Are all the machinations worth it, when their primary effect is to make the code less readable?