--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Merely that I have a World Wide Web page…" description: "\"Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me any power, any abilities, nor any status in the real world.\" — Clifford Stoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg" --- # Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me… ![“Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me any power, any abilities, nor any status in the real world.” quote by Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg) > “Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me any power, any abilities, nor any status in the real world.” [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Owning a website does not automatically confer influence, skill, or real‑world status. **In simple terms:** A website alone doesn’t give power. Key Takeaway Build genuine expertise and relationships beyond a site. Themes digital presence status authenticity Mood reflective motivational Type strategic pragmatic When to use this quote - career networking - personal branding - online entrepreneurship Key Concepts online identity social capital skill development Questions to Reflect On - What actions turn a site into a platform? - How do you demonstrate real expertise? A Different Perspective A site without substance can be ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Web](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/web/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World wide web](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-wide-web/) ## Related quotes > [If you don't have an e-mail address, you're in the Netherworld. If you don't have your own World Wide Web page, you're a nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/if-you-don-t-have-an-e-mail-address-you-re-in-the-netherworld-if-you/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [The story of the growth of the World Wide Web can be measured by the number of Web pages that are published and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-berners-lee/the-story-of-the-growth-of-the-world-wide-web-can-be-measured-by-the/) [Tim Berners-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-berners-lee/) > [So, as one sees, I by no means deprive my world of stubborn reality, if I merely call it a world of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/so-as-one-sees-i-by-no-means-deprive-my-world-of-stubborn-reality-if/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [It is merely this world that is chaotic, bringing changes to us all that nobody could have anticipated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/it-is-merely-this-world-that-is-chaotic-bringing-changes-to-us-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Nobody is perfect', is merely a world wide excuse for everyone's errors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mpitse/nobody-is-perfect-is-merely-a-world-wide-excuse-for-everyone-s-errors/) Leonard Mpitse > [I' is merely one of the world's instantaneous spasms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-is-merely-one-of-the-world-s-instantaneous-spasms/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Spending an evening on the World Wide Web is much like sitting down to a dinner of Cheetos, two hours later your fingers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/spending-an-evening-on-the-world-wide-web-is-much-like-sitting-down/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Most of the network related programming in games has to do with providing a good interactive experience when playing over the internet. This matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothee-besset/most-of-the-network-related-programming-in-games-has-to-do-with/) Timothee Besset > [Individual web pages as they first appeared in the early 1990s had the flavour of person-hood. MySpace preserved some of that flavour, though a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/individual-web-pages-as-they-first-appeared-in-the-early-1990s-had/) [Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/) > [We came up with the notion that not all web pages are created equal. People are – but not web pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-brin/we-came-up-with-the-notion-that-not-all-web-pages-are-created-equal/) [Sergey Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-brin/) > [“button (for example, if you’re reading a book or viewing a web page), simply tap your finger in the middle of the screen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bohner/button-for-example-if-you-re-reading-a-book-or-viewing-a-web-page/) Carl Bohner > [“A pair of eyes attached to a human brain can quickly make sense of the content presented on a web page and decide whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amerland/a-pair-of-eyes-attached-to-a-human-brain-can-quickly-make-sense-of/) [David Amerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amerland/) > [If you look at how many thousands and thousands of pages, Web pages, are being added to the Internet every day, it's the fastest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-look-at-how-many-thousands-and-thousands-of-pages-web-pages/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Once you understand that everybody's going to get connected, a lot of things follow from that. If everybody gets the Internet, they end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/once-you-understand-that-everybody-s-going-to-get-connected-a-lot-of/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More by Clifford Stoll > [Rather than bringing me closer to others, the time that I spend online isolates me from the most important people in my life, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/rather-than-bringing-me-closer-to-others-the-time-that-i-spend-online/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [“VI was predecessor to hundreds of word processing systems. By now, Unix folks see it as a bit stodgy—it hasn’t the versatility of Gnu-Emacs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/vi-was-predecessor-to-hundreds-of-word-processing-systems-by-now-unix/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [It's easier to apologize afterwards than getting something allowed in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/it-s-easier-to-apologize-afterwards-than-getting-something-allowed-in/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Data isn't information, any more than fifty tons of cement is a skyscraper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/data-isn-t-information-any-more-than-fifty-tons-of-cement-is-a/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Treat your password like your toothbrush. Don't let anybody else use it, and get a new one every six months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/treat-your-password-like-your-toothbrush-don-t-let-anybody-else-use/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [There is a difference between having access to information and having the savvy it takes to interpret it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/there-is-a-difference-between-having-access-to-information-and-having/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [No computer network with pretty graphics can ever replace the salespeople that make our society work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/no-computer-network-with-pretty-graphics-can-ever-replace-the/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [If you don't have an e-mail address, you're in the Netherworld. If you don't have your own World Wide Web page, you're a nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/if-you-don-t-have-an-e-mail-address-you-re-in-the-netherworld-if-you/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [“The astronomer's rule of thumb: if you didn't write it down, it didn't happen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/the-astronomer-s-rule-of-thumb-if-you-didn-t-write-it-down-it-didn-t/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [We'll soon buy books and newspapers straight over the Internet. Uh, sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/we-ll-soon-buy-books-and-newspapers-straight-over-the-internet-uh-sure/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [“Over the past decade Stallman created a powerful editing program called Gnu-Emacs. But Gnu’s much more than just a text editor. It’s easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/over-the-past-decade-stallman-created-a-powerful-editing-program/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [The truth is no online database will replace your daily newspaper, no CD-ROM can take the place of a competent teacher and no computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/the-truth-is-no-online-database-will-replace-your-daily-newspaper-no/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Spending an evening on the World Wide Web is much like sitting down to a dinner of Cheetos, two hours later your fingers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/spending-an-evening-on-the-world-wide-web-is-much-like-sitting-down/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [The virtual community? The word virtual does not mean "virtue." It means "not." When I go to the store and they say: The shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/the-virtual-community-the-word-virtual-does-not-mean-virtue-it-means/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Call me a troglodyte; I'd rather peruse those photos alongside my sweetheart, catch the newspaper on the way to work, and page thorough a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/call-me-a-troglodyte-i-d-rather-peruse-those-photos-alongside-my/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) [Explore all 48 Clifford Stoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me any power, any abilities, nor any status in the real world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clifford Stoll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page-does-not-give-me-any-power/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page-does-not-give-me-any-power/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/clifford-stoll-13747_ability_merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page_2276522.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Merely that I have a World Wide Web page does not give me any power, any abilities, nor any status in the…” — Clifford Stoll", "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": "Clifford Stoll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Merely that I have a World...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page-does-not-give-me-any-power/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/merely-that-i-have-a-world-wide-web-page-does-not-give-me-any-power/#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 } } ] } ```