--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest machines, in those days, were…" description: "\"“The biggest machines, in those days, were already pushing the limits of what could be constructed on Arbre with reasonable amounts of money.\" \"I hadn'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/neal-stephenson-362_computers_the-biggest-machines-in-those-days-were_1171516.png" --- # The biggest machines, in those days, were already pushing… ![“The biggest machines, in those days, were already pushing the limits of what could be constructed on Arbre with reasonable amounts of money." "I hadn't known that," I said. "I always tend to assume there's an infinite amount of money out there." "There might as well be," Arsibalt said, "but most…” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/neal-stephenson-362_computers_the-biggest-machines-in-those-days-were_1171516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/neal-stephenson-362_computers_the-biggest-machines-in-those-days-were_1171516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/neal-stephenson-362_computers_the-biggest-machines-in-those-days-were_1171516.png) > ““The biggest machines, in those days, were already pushing the limits of what could be constructed on Arbre with reasonable amounts of money." "I hadn't known that," I said. "I always tend to assume there's an infinite amount of money out there." "There might as well be," Arsibalt said, "but most of it gets spent on pornography, sugar water, and bombs. There is only so much that can be scraped together for particle accelerators.”” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often overestimate available resources, assuming endless funding, while reality shows budgets are limited and must be prioritized. **In simple terms:** People think money is limitless, but it's actually scarce and must be allocated wisely. Key Takeaway Recognize financial constraints and plan projects accordingly. Themes resource allocation budgeting technology prioritization Mood cautious pragmatic Type analytical advisory When to use this quote - software development - scientific research - public policy - personal finance Key Concepts economic realism budget constraints project management Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess realistic budgets for ambitious projects? - What priorities should guide limited resources? A Different Perspective Assuming infinite funds can lead to unrealistic expectations and wasted effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I always tend to assume there's an infinite amount of money out there." 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It is not merely large: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/despite-my-resistance-to-hyperbole-the-lhc-belongs-to-a-world-that/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) > [In 2007, there weren't any other accelerators, at least that I was aware of. We were almost the prototypical Y Combinator founders: We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/in-2007-there-weren-t-any-other-accelerators-at-least-that-i-was/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [Quality and a great product matters, in startups, and in accelerators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/quality-and-a-great-product-matters-in-startups-and-in-accelerators/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [My interest in matters more directly concerned with the handling of particles was growing, in the meantime, stimulated by many contacts with people understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-der-meer/my-interest-in-matters-more-directly-concerned-with-the-handling-of/) [Simon van der Meer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-der-meer/) > [Infinite money is available to a mind that is ready, willing, able, qualified and gives itself permission to earn and accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/infinite-money-is-available-to-a-mind-that-is-ready-willing-able/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [My duration's infinite, money-wise or physiology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/my-duration-s-infinite-money-wise-or-physiology/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [The sinews of war are infinite money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-sinews-of-war-are-infinite-money/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/arguing-with-anonymous-strangers-on-the-internet-is-a-sucker-s-game/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“—Dime que me amas como a nadie en esta vida —le exigió él. —Te amo como a nadie en esta vida. —Dime que nunca…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florencia-bonelli/dime-que-me-amas-como-a-nadie-en-esta-vida-le-exigi-l-te-amo-como-a/) Florencia Bonelli > [“Seasons didn't come behind the nicotine-stained walls of Mountain City's prison, so Harm always imagined it spring--the locust trees clustered with shaggy white blooms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyn-mccrumb/seasons-didn-t-come-behind-the-nicotine-stained-walls-of-mountain/) [Sharyn McCrumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyn-mccrumb/) > [“Quotes By Transcendologist Kurt Kawohl 1941 - If the medieval practices and the medieval beliefs of Christianity, Judaism and Islam that are based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-kawohl/quotes-by-transcendologist-kurt-kawohl-1941-if-the-medieval-practices/) Kurt Kawohl > [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. 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But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## 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. 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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. 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