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About this quote

What does it mean?
When an optimizer is missing or broken, developers must devise alternative solutions.
In plain terms
If the optimizer fails, find a workaround.
What can you take from it?
Plan for fallback strategies when tools are unavailable.

Where it applies

  • building compilers
  • performance tuning

Putting it to work

  • implement manual optimizations
  • write tests for edge cases

Questions to consider

  • What are the costs of a workaround?
  • When is it worth waiting for a proper optimizer?

Another view

Workarounds can add complexity and maintenance burden.

More from Larry Wall

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