--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The principal lesson of Emacs is that a…" description: "\"The principal lesson of Emacs is that a language for extensions should not be a mere \"extension language\". It should be a real programming language, de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/richard-stallman-4048_extensions_the-principal-lesson-of-emacs-is-that-a_2868834.png" --- # The principal lesson of Emacs is that a language for… ![“The principal lesson of Emacs is that a language for extensions should not be a mere "extension language". It should be a real programming language, designed for writing and maintaining substantial programs. Because people will want to do that!” quote by Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/richard-stallman-4048_extensions_the-principal-lesson-of-emacs-is-that-a_2868834.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/richard-stallman-4048_extensions_the-principal-lesson-of-emacs-is-that-a_2868834.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/richard-stallman-4048_extensions_the-principal-lesson-of-emacs-is-that-a_2868834.png) > “The principal lesson of Emacs is that a language for extensions should not be a mere "extension language". It should be a real programming language, designed for writing and maintaining substantial programs. Because people will want to do that!” [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An extension language must be a full programming language to support complex, maintainable software. **In simple terms:** Extension languages need full programming power. Key Takeaway Use robust languages for extensions. Themes software design programming extensibility Mood analytical pragmatic Type technical educational When to use this quote - coding tools - text editors - software development Key Concepts language theory software engineering Questions to Reflect On - Why prioritize language completeness? - What are the trade‑offs? 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Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-w-floyd/) > [However, when Java is promoted as the sole programming language, its flaws and limitations become serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/however-when-java-is-promoted-as-the-sole-programming-language-its/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [A programming language is low level when its programs require attention to the irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/a-programming-language-is-low-level-when-its-programs-require/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. 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The police need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/in-the-us-you-even-lose-legal-rights-if-you-store-your-data-in-a/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [EMACS could not have been reached by a process of careful design, because such processes arrive only at goals which are visible at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/emacs-could-not-have-been-reached-by-a-process-of-careful-design/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [A hacker is someone who enjoys playful cleverness—not necessarily with computers. 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You can radically change, if you unhook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-new-at-every-moment-you-are-an-extension-of-the-previous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Tachyon OPC+ is a natural extension of our market-winning Tachyon platform, giving customers a clear path to minimizing the OPC error budget and producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/tachyon-opc-is-a-natural-extension-of-our-market-winning-tachyon/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Many times our weaknesses are extensions of our strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-times-our-weaknesses-are-extensions-of-our-strengths/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I don't think I treat my film work as an extension of my photography. There are two different sets of rules there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-corbijn/i-don-t-think-i-treat-my-film-work-as-an-extension-of-my-photography/) [Anton Corbijn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-corbijn/) > [For me there is no gap between my painting and my so-called 'decorative' work. I never considered the 'minor arts' to be artistically frustrating;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-delaunay/for-me-there-is-no-gap-between-my-painting-and-my-so-called/) [Sonia Delaunay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-delaunay/) > [We are on earth as extensions of God to finish the work He began. We are the essence of God, His on-going incarnation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-paulk/we-are-on-earth-as-extensions-of-god-to-finish-the-work-he-began-we/) [Earl Paulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-paulk/) > [I'd love to drive a Lamborghini, but I think it's hard when the pedals are way down in there, and you sit real low,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-klebba/i-d-love-to-drive-a-lamborghini-but-i-think-it-s-hard-when-the-pedals/) Martin Klebba > [I believe that every man can multiply his own ability by almost constant wordless realization of his unity with his Source. I have, myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/i-believe-that-every-man-can-multiply-his-own-ability-by-almost/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [I didn't realize how many actresses have tons of extensions. Their hair is still pretty, but it blew my mind to find that out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/i-didn-t-realize-how-many-actresses-have-tons-of-extensions-their/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Christianity in our country is a lot like what the Ducksters profess. No longer doctrinaire or demanding, the mishmash of pop-religion practiced in churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/christianity-in-our-country-is-a-lot-like-what-the-ducksters-profess/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [Today we haved touched Mars. There is life on Mars, and it us us-extensions of our eyes in all directions, extensions of our mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/today-we-haved-touched-mars-there-is-life-on-mars-and-it-us-us/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Man is very much a creature of habit. 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