--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always wished for my computer to…" description: "\"“I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my tele..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg" --- # I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use… ![“I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone.” quote by Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg) > ““I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone.”” [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The convenience of modern devices can become a paradox when they become harder to use than older, simpler tools. **In simple terms:** Tech can become too complex. Key Takeaway Simplify interfaces. Themes technology user experience design Mood frustrated reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - software development - everyday tech use - training sessions Key Concepts human‑centered design complexity usability Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance functionality with simplicity? - What design principles help keep tools intuitive? A Different Perspective Complexity may increase as features grow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ## Related quotes > [There's an old story about the person who wished his computer was as easy to use as his telephone. That wish has come true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/there-s-an-old-story-about-the-person-who-wished-his-computer-was-as/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [You know, it's not a given that there is an 'online' and 'offline' world out there. When you use the telephone, you don't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-there-is-an-online-and-offline-world/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [If you want to communicate, use the telephone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hugo/if-you-want-to-communicate-use-the-telephone/) [Richard Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hugo/) > [\*\*\*Wanted: Boyfriend. Qualifications: Must know how to use the telephone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-carlsson/wanted-boyfriend-qualifications-must-know-how-to-use-the-telephone/) Vicky Carlsson > [I rarely use the telephone because he may not want to see me. I have a better chance of seeing the man I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-feldman/i-rarely-use-the-telephone-because-he-may-not-want-to-see-me-i-have-a/) [Ben Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-feldman/) > [Not being allowed to use the Internet is kind of like not being allowed to use a telephone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/not-being-allowed-to-use-the-internet-is-kind-of-like-not-being/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [“Do you know what is our problem? We know everything about our weapons, but we know nothing about how to use a telephone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/do-you-know-what-is-our-problem-we-know-everything-about-our-weapons/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [In heaven, when the blessed use the telephone they will say what they have to say and not a word besides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-heaven-when-the-blessed-use-the-telephone-they-will-say-what-they/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Collections are certainly abundant online. It's complicated, because it's not like these people didn't want computers, although there was some nonchalance about it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/collections-are-certainly-abundant-online-it-s-complicated-because-it/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [My computer? I never use a computer. It's too easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madlib/my-computer-i-never-use-a-computer-it-s-too-easy/) [Madlib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madlib/) > [The computer seems easy because Apple makes the products so easy to use at home. It's the simple things, like getting the TV set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-donnell/the-computer-seems-easy-because-apple-makes-the-products-so-easy-to/) [Chris O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-donnell/) > [Assuming you can write clear English sentences, give up all worry about communication. If you want to communicate, use the telephone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hugo/assuming-you-can-write-clear-english-sentences-give-up-all-worry/) [Richard Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hugo/) > [“Goddamn it, do it yourself. You’re five hundred years old and you can’t use a telephone? Read the directions. What are you, an immortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/goddamn-it-do-it-yourself-you-re-five-hundred-years-old-and-you-can-t/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Bjarne Stroustrup > [Always think about how a piece of code should be used: good interfaces are the essence of good code. You can hide all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/always-think-about-how-a-piece-of-code-should-be-used-good-interfaces/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [Any verbose and tedious solution is error-prone because programmers get bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/any-verbose-and-tedious-solution-is-error-prone-because-programmers/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [“There are only two kinds of languages: the ones people complain about and the ones nobody uses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-languages-the-ones-people-complain-about/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [Nobody should call themselves a professional if they only knew one language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/nobody-should-call-themselves-a-professional-if-they-only-knew-one/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [It's easy to win forgiveness for being wrong; being right is what gets you into real trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/it-s-easy-to-win-forgiveness-for-being-wrong-being-right-is-what-gets/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [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/) > [C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-makes-it-easy-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-c-makes-it-harder-but/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [I assume that a sufficiently skilled will be able to do anything not explicitly forbidden by the hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-assume-that-a-sufficiently-skilled-will-be-able-to-do-anything-not/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [I like doing research that has an impact. If I went to a company to make what they call 'real money,' I'd be just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-like-doing-research-that-has-an-impact-if-i-went-to-a-company-to/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [I would encourage nonproprietary standards for tools and libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-would-encourage-nonproprietary-standards-for-tools-and-libraries/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [This evolution may compromise Java's claim of being simpler than C++, but my guess is that the effort will make Java a better language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/this-evolution-may-compromise-java-s-claim-of-being-simpler-than-c/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [Clearly, I reject the view that there is one way that is right for everyone and for every problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/clearly-i-reject-the-view-that-there-is-one-way-that-is-right-for/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [There is no one "root of all evil" in software development. Design is hard in many ways. People tend to underestimate the intellectual and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/there-is-no-one-root-of-all-evil-in-software-development-design-is/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [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/) > [C++ is designed to allow you to express ideas, but if you don't have ideas or don't have any clue about how to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-is-designed-to-allow-you-to-express-ideas-but-if-you-don-t-have/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) [Explore all 58 Bjarne Stroustrup quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [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/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [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 corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bjarne Stroustrup" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to-be-as-easy-to-use-as-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to-be-as-easy-to-use-as-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1c/bjarne-stroustrup-11774_computers_i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to_2907994.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I…” — Bjarne Stroustrup", "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": "Bjarne Stroustrup", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I have always wished for my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to-be-as-easy-to-use-as-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/i-have-always-wished-for-my-computer-to-be-as-easy-to-use-as-my/#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 } } ] } ```