The cell phone has transformed public places into giant phone-a-thons in which callers exist within narcissistic cocoons of private conversations. read more

The cell phone has transformed public places into giant phone-a-thons in which callers exist within narcissistic cocoons of private conversations. Like faxes, computer modems and other modern gadgets that have clogged out lives with phony urgency, cell phones represent the 20th Century's escalation of imaginary need. We didn't need cell phones until we had them. Clearly, cell phones cause not only a breakdown of courtesy, but the atrophy of basic skills.

By the time (the Leaning Tower of Pisa) was 10% built, everyone knew it would be a total disaster. But read more

By the time (the Leaning Tower of Pisa) was 10% built, everyone knew it would be a total disaster. But the investment was so big they felt compelled to go on. Since its completion, it cost a fortune to maintain and is still in danger of collapsing. There are no plans to replace it, since it was never needed in the first place. I expect every installation has its own pet software which is analogous to the above.

The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That's where we come read more

The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That's where we come in; we're computer professionals. We cause accidents.

What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying read more

What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what's going on.

There never was a chip, it is said, that Bill Gates couldn't slow down with a new batch of features.

There never was a chip, it is said, that Bill Gates couldn't slow down with a new batch of features.

The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify read more

The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.

Art and science have their meeting point in method.

Art and science have their meeting point in method.

Not even computers will replace committees, because committees buy computers.

Not even computers will replace committees, because committees buy computers.

Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you read more

Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world.