--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13…" description: "\"“I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13 where the astronauts request confirmation of their calculations and several people at Mission Control dive f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/matt-roberts-140201_fortran_i-was-impressed-by-the-scene-in-apollo-1_1296157.jpg" --- # I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13 where the… ![“I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13 where the astronauts request confirmation of their calculations and several people at Mission Control dive for their slide rules. For several months after that, my standard response to statements like "We must implement multi-processor object-oriented…” quote by Matt Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/matt-roberts-140201_fortran_i-was-impressed-by-the-scene-in-apollo-1_1296157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/matt-roberts-140201_fortran_i-was-impressed-by-the-scene-in-apollo-1_1296157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/matt-roberts-140201_fortran_i-was-impressed-by-the-scene-in-apollo-1_1296157.jpg) > ““I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13 where the astronauts request confirmation of their calculations and several people at Mission Control dive for their slide rules. For several months after that, my standard response to statements like "We must implement multi-processor object-oriented Java-based client-server technologies immediately!" was "You know, FORTRAN and slide rules put men on the moon and got them back safely multiple times." Tended to shut them up, at least for a moment.”” [Matt Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote recounts a nostalgic anecdote about slide rules and FORTRAN, using it to humorously dismiss modern tech hype by reminding listeners of past successes. **In simple terms:** Old tools like slide rules proved effective, reminding us to be skeptical of hype. Key Takeaway Balance respect for legacy tech with openness to innovation. Themes technology nostalgia critical thinking innovation history Mood humorous reflective Type Apollo:1 Apollo 13:1 Goals:1 NASA:1 Space:1 Technology:1 Fortran:1 Fortran Slide:1 Scene Apollo:1 When to use this quote - software development - tech education - strategic planning Key Concepts history of computing technology adoption critical analysis Questions to Reflect On - When is it useful to rely on proven methods? - How can we evaluate new tech critically? A Different Perspective The humor may dismiss legitimate advancements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apollo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) [Apollo 13](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo-13/) [Fortran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortran-427789/) [Fortran Slide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortran-slide-4239775/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [NASA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nasa/) [Scene Apollo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene-apollo-4239776/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [“ SCENE: Apollo jogs along the beachfront, shooting arrows backwards from his golden bow. He's followed by campers dressed in combat gear, jogging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/scene-apollo-jogs-along-the-beachfront-shooting-arrows-backwards-from/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The great thing about space films generally, with the exception of Apollo 13, is that big stars tend not to work in space and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/the-great-thing-about-space-films-generally-with-the-exception-of/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [Apollo 13 taught me that challenges are to be met and overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-swigert/apollo-13-taught-me-that-challenges-are-to-be-met-and-overcome/) [Jack Swigert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-swigert/) > [Apollo 13, as you may remember, gave us a reactor that is bubbling away right now somewhere in the Pacific. It's supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/apollo-13-as-you-may-remember-gave-us-a-reactor-that-is-bubbling-away/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [My biggest emotion on Apollo 13 after the oxygen tank explosion was disappointment that we had lost the landing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-haise/my-biggest-emotion-on-apollo-13-after-the-oxygen-tank-explosion-was/) [Fred Haise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-haise/) > [At this point in my career, Apollo 13 is a million light years away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-quinlan/at-this-point-in-my-career-apollo-13-is-a-million-light-years-away/) [Kathleen Quinlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-quinlan/) > [I wouldn't trade my career with anybody's. I'd trade a few movies with Tom Hanks - 'Apollo 13 and 'Forrest Gump' - but other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-wouldn-t-trade-my-career-with-anybody-s-i-d-trade-a-few-movies-with/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [When 'Apollo 13' appeared as an opportunity and I began to tackle that in as authentic a way as I possibly could, I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/when-apollo-13-appeared-as-an-opportunity-and-i-began-to-tackle-that/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [I got the idea for Netflix after my company was acquired. I had a big late fee for Apollo 13. It was six weeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-got-the-idea-for-netflix-after-my-company-was-acquired-i-had-a-big/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [If you give someone Fortran, he has Fortran. If you give someone Lisp, he has any language he pleases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-steele/if-you-give-someone-fortran-he-has-fortran-if-you-give-someone-lisp/) [Guy Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-steele/) > [FORTRAN was the language of choice for the same reason that three-legged races are popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-thompson/fortran-was-the-language-of-choice-for-the-same-reason-that-three/) [Ken Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-thompson/) > [“And there is one disconcerting thing about working with a computer – it's likely to talk back to you. You make some tiny mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drury-clark/and-there-is-one-disconcerting-thing-about-working-with-a-computer-it/) [John Drury Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drury-clark/) > [I don't know what the language of the year 2000 will look like, but I know it will be called Fortran.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoare/i-don-t-know-what-the-language-of-the-year-2000-will-look-like-but-i/) [Tony Hoare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoare/) > [In the good old days physicists repeated each other's experiments, just to be sure. Today they stick to FORTRAN, so that they can share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/in-the-good-old-days-physicists-repeated-each-other-s-experiments/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [You can measure a programmer's perspective by noting his attitude on the continuing vitality of FORTRAN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/you-can-measure-a-programmer-s-perspective-by-noting-his-attitude-on/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) ## More Apollo quotes > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/kennedy-had-made-a-mess-in-cuba-at-the-bay-of-pigs-he-had-to-do/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [Apollo?” I guessed… He put a finger to his lips. “I’m incognito. Call me Fred.” A god named Fred?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/apollo-i-guessed-he-put-a-finger-to-his-lips-i-m-incognito-call-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [I think if you were between maybe 6 and 16, there was nothing like Apollo, and I wonder if there can be something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/i-think-if-you-were-between-maybe-6-and-16-there-was-nothing-like/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Apollo was a big, unwieldy vehicle. I had a problem with the flight controllers over that. It would try to fare its way like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-schirra/apollo-was-a-big-unwieldy-vehicle-i-had-a-problem-with-the-flight/) [Wally Schirra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-schirra/) > [I used to be a street performer, and performances on Venice Beach, it's like playing the Apollo: They let you know if they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/i-used-to-be-a-street-performer-and-performances-on-venice-beach-it-s/) [Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/) > [I owe much of my success to Seann Walsh. He kept recommending me for Live At The Apollo until eventually the producers offered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/i-owe-much-of-my-success-to-seann-walsh-he-kept-recommending-me-for/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/a-typical-smart-phone-has-more-computing-power-than-apollo-11-when-it/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Armstrong, sitting in the commander's seat, spacesuit on, helmet on, plugged into electrical and environmental umbilical's, is a man who is not only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/armstrong-sitting-in-the-commander-s-seat-spacesuit-on-helmet-on/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Have any of you taken a look out at Greece in the last, say, hour or so? (Hermes) What? Are they reacting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/have-any-of-you-taken-a-look-out-at-greece-in-the-last-say-hour-or-so/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I couldn’t say I was surprised that Apollo hadn’t given me a lot to work on. The jerk was known for delivering little to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-couldn-t-say-i-was-surprised-that-apollo-hadn-t-given-me-a-lot-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“As additional precautions, Kranz requested that a two-hundred-foot radio antenna (called a deep-space dish) in Australia be added to the global network tracking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-s-f-cooper-jr/as-additional-precautions-kranz-requested-that-a-two-hundred-foot/) [Henry S.F. Cooper Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-s-f-cooper-jr/) > [“He saw her eyes bright as stars; he saw her lips, and was not satisfied with only seeing them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-saw-her-eyes-bright-as-stars-he-saw-her-lips-and-was-not-satisfied/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Among the gods, there is a dispute as to which one of them originally thought of Christianity; or, as they call it, the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/among-the-gods-there-is-a-dispute-as-to-which-one-of-them-originally/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) [Browse all 382 Apollo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apollo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was impressed by the scene in Apollo 13 where the astronauts request confirmation of their calculations and several people at Mission Control dive for their slide rules. 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