--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was the ultimate form of ostentation…" description: "\"This was the ultimate form of ostentation among technology freaks - to have a system so complete and sophisticated that nothing showed; no machines, no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/michael-swanwick-35514_computers_this-was-the-ultimate-form-of-ostentatio_63804.jpg" --- # This was the ultimate form of ostentation among technology… ![“This was the ultimate form of ostentation among technology freaks - to have a system so complete and sophisticated that nothing showed; no machines, no wires, no controls.” quote by Michael Swanwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/michael-swanwick-35514_computers_this-was-the-ultimate-form-of-ostentatio_63804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/michael-swanwick-35514_computers_this-was-the-ultimate-form-of-ostentatio_63804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/678/michael-swanwick-35514_computers_this-was-the-ultimate-form-of-ostentatio_63804.jpg) > “This was the ultimate form of ostentation among technology freaks - to have a system so complete and sophisticated that nothing showed; no machines, no wires, no controls.” [Michael Swanwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-swanwick/) ## 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 critiques the pursuit of invisible, seamless technology that hides its complexity, suggesting that ultimate sophistication is a form of showmanship among tech enthusiasts. **In simple terms:** Invisible tech as status symbol. Key Takeaway Complexity hidden is ostentatious. Themes technology design culture status simplicity Mood ironic critical reflective Type observation critique When to use this quote - product launch - high-end gadget showcase - tech conference - design critique Key Concepts user experience engineering aesthetic perception Practical Applications - branding strategy - product design Questions to Reflect On - What does 'invisible' technology convey about user trust? - How might hidden complexity affect maintenance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Ostentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ostentation/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [Technology still freaks me out a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/technology-still-freaks-me-out-a-bit/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [That an author's work is the mirror of his mind is a position that has led to very false conclusions. If Satan himself were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/that-an-author-s-work-is-the-mirror-of-his-mind-is-a-position-that/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ostentation is the signal flag of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/ostentation-is-the-signal-flag-of-hypocrisy/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Simplicity is the mean between ostentation and rusticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/simplicity-is-the-mean-between-ostentation-and-rusticity/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Taffeta phrases, silken terms precise, Three-piled hyperboles, spruce affection, Figures pedantical--these summer flies Have blown me full of maggot ostentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/taffeta-phrases-silken-terms-precise-three-piled-hyperboles-spruce/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [That which is given with pride and ostentation is rather an ambition than a bounty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-which-is-given-with-pride-and-ostentation-is-rather-an-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People of our time are so formed for agitation and ostentation that goodness, moderation, equability, constancy, and such quiet and obscure qualities are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/people-of-our-time-are-so-formed-for-agitation-and-ostentation-that/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“A taste for ostentation is rarely associated in the same souls with a taste for honesty. 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