RETRO-PERSPECTIVE

How our gathering in Novosibirsk turned out?

It could only be one answer:

Hurrah to our lady programmers!

Hurrah to Organizing Committee!

And Shtarkman was unjustly lashed,

And you could see all his sensibility

If only you kept in mind

That you are not acquainted with basics…

So we watched the two panels:

One was oh so dreary, and the other pretty quarrelsome,

Though even in the Middle Ages they knew

How to deter ardor in polemics!

Everyone argued about systems

Though many knew nothing on the subject.

The only thing everyone agreed upon

Was that their own system was the best!

What for all catering expenses –

Let me completely agree with Keldysh

When he told me as a friend:

“Without administrators your goose is cooked!”

And if your compiler is controllable,

Then you’ve settled a point of great nicety!

(Although we have all reasons to suspect

That this class of compilers is mere horseshit)

Our developments are utterly experimental.

And what would you propose?

You’re uncomfortable without series,

And we can’t live without experiment.

And, finally, what is our perspective?

Of course, in things OPM is famous for…

And what for CAM – but why, it is ugly…

And what for NICEVT – oh, the hell with him!