--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Standards are always out of date. That's…" description: "\"Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.\" — Alan Bennett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg" --- # Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them… ![“Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.” quote by Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg) > “Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.” [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Standards become outdated, which is why they remain standards. **In simple terms:** Standards age, yet stay standards. Key Takeaway Update standards regularly. Themes change progress tradition Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - technology adoption - education curricula Key Concepts standard evolution obsolescence Questions to Reflect On - What standards need revision now? - How to balance tradition with progress? A Different Perspective Old standards may hinder innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Have you ever thought, headmaster, that your standards might perhaps be a little out of date? Of course they're out of date. Standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/have-you-ever-thought-headmaster-that-your-standards-might-perhaps-be/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Of course my standards are out of date! That's why they're called standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/of-course-my-standards-are-out-of-date-that-s-why-they-re-called/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [As has been said, standards are always out of date - that is why we call them standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/as-has-been-said-standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-is-why-we-call/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [I don't think men like a bad girl. Well, I haven't had a date in a year so I'm obviously doing something wrong. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-bleeth/i-don-t-think-men-like-a-bad-girl-well-i-haven-t-had-a-date-in-a-year/) [Yasmine Bleeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-bleeth/) > [My standards are higher than they used to be, I think. They don't necessarily have to make sense, but I certainly work on them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/my-standards-are-higher-than-they-used-to-be-i-think-they-don-t/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [ The Canon AE1 - a fully manual camera. \[My mother\] had a 50mm, which is a standard lens, and then I got a 28mm.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/the-canon-ae1-a-fully-manual-camera-my-mother-had-a-50mm-which-is-a/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [There are no standards for computer programmers and no group to certify them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-no-standards-for-computer-programmers-and-no-group-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some software is actually pretty good, by any standard. Think of the Mars Rovers, Google, and the Human Genome Project. Now, that's quality software!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/some-software-is-actually-pretty-good-by-any-standard-think-of-the/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [I once went on a date where the girl drove and so couldn't drink. I was nervous, so drank quite a bit - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-smith/i-once-went-on-a-date-where-the-girl-drove-and-so-couldn-t-drink-i/) [Dan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-smith/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [Serial dating: It's not just for breakfast anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-s/serial-dating-it-s-not-just-for-breakfast-anymore/) [Laura S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-s/) > [“It’s been so many years since I actually had a date that I’ve forgotten how to act. You don’t mention your ex when you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlet-blackwell/it-s-been-so-many-years-since-i-actually-had-a-date-that-i-ve/) Scarlet Blackwell > [I heard recently that I used to date Patrick Swayze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/i-heard-recently-that-i-used-to-date-patrick-swayze/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) ## More by Alan Bennett > [“The closest she got to pretence was politeness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-closest-she-got-to-pretence-was-politeness/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [An article on playwrights in the Daily Mail , listed according to Hard Left, Soft Left, Hard Right, Soft Right and Centre. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I'm not good at precise, coherent argument. But plays are suited to incoherent argument, put into the mouths of fallible people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-m-not-good-at-precise-coherent-argument-but-plays-are-suited-to/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The thing I think about is that once you've done it, you then start to think about what you're going to do next. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-thing-i-think-about-is-that-once-you-ve-done-it-you-then-start-to/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [At the drabber moments of my life (swilling some excrement from the steps, for instance, or rooting with a bent coat-hanger down a blocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/at-the-drabber-moments-of-my-life-swilling-some-excrement-from-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [There are more microbes per person than the entire population of the world. Imagine that. Per person. This means that if the time scale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/there-are-more-microbes-per-person-than-the-entire-population-of-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I'm more socialist certainly than New Labour - I'm very old Labour, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-m-more-socialist-certainly-than-new-labour-i-m-very-old-labour/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Why do we not care to acknowledge them? The cattle, the body count. We still don't like to admit the war was even partly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/why-do-we-not-care-to-acknowledge-them-the-cattle-the-body-count-we/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Were we closer to the ground as children, or is the grass emptier now?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/were-we-closer-to-the-ground-as-children-or-is-the-grass-emptier-now/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [But most men regard their life as a poem that women threaten. They may not have two spondees to rub together but they still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/but-most-men-regard-their-life-as-a-poem-that-women-threaten-they-may/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“BURGESS How do you like Moscow? CORAL Loathe it, darling. I cannot understand what those Three Sisters were on about. It gives the play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/burgess-how-do-you-like-moscow-coral-loathe-it-darling-i-cannot/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-best-moments-in-reading-are-when-you-come-across-something-a/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Your whole life is on the other side of the glass. And there is nobody watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/your-whole-life-is-on-the-other-side-of-the-glass-and-there-is-nobody/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The appeal of reading, she thought, lay in its indifference: there was something undeferring about literature. Books did not care who was reading them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-appeal-of-reading-she-thought-lay-in-its-indifference-there-was/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“How do I define history? It's just one fucking thing after another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/how-do-i-define-history-it-s-just-one-fucking-thing-after-another/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) [Explore all 188 Alan Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## More Computer quotes > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [One of our big goals in search is to make search that really understands exactly what you want, understands everything in the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/one-of-our-big-goals-in-search-is-to-make-search-that-really/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I'm from the South, so I'm very old-fashioned and I'm not very computer savvy at all, but I'm getting it. I understand that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-m-from-the-south-so-i-m-very-old-fashioned-and-i-m-not-very/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [A little bit more than 50% of what you see on screen is handcrafted and the other 50% was about emulating these textures on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-abreu/a-little-bit-more-than-50-of-what-you-see-on-screen-is-handcrafted/) [Alex Abreu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-abreu/) > [Well I'm trying to think what I put in... I think I put in 'why?' to see if I'd confuse the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/well-i-m-trying-to-think-what-i-put-in-i-think-i-put-in-why-to-see-if/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Our brains are great at knowing what to forget. We actually have to teach computers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/our-brains-are-great-at-knowing-what-to-forget-we-actually-have-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [Why do you do what you do? Why do you dress the way you dress?Why do you do what you do with your time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/why-do-you-do-what-you-do-why-do-you-dress-the-way-you-dress-why-do/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) [Browse all 3,924 Computer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Bennett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s-what-makes-them-standards/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s-what-makes-them-standards/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/673/alan-bennett-1922_computer_standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s_2083252.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.” — Alan Bennett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Bennett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Standards are always out of date....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s-what-makes-them-standards/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-s-what-makes-them-standards/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```