--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two men were examining the output of the…" description: "\"Two men were examining the output of the new computer in their department. After an hour or so of analyzing the data, one of them remarked: Do you real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/nicholas-negroponte-7911_computers_two-men-were-examining-the-output-of-the_1312820.png" --- # Two men were examining the output of the new computer in… ![“Two men were examining the output of the new computer in their department. After an hour or so of analyzing the data, one of them remarked: Do you realize it would take 400 men at least 250 years to make a mistake this big ?” quote by Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/nicholas-negroponte-7911_computers_two-men-were-examining-the-output-of-the_1312820.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/nicholas-negroponte-7911_computers_two-men-were-examining-the-output-of-the_1312820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/nicholas-negroponte-7911_computers_two-men-were-examining-the-output-of-the_1312820.png) > “Two men were examining the output of the new computer in their department. After an hour or so of analyzing the data, one of them remarked: Do you realize it would take 400 men at least 250 years to make a mistake this big ?” [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The comment highlights how a single massive error can dwarf human effort, emphasizing the scale of modern computing risks. **In simple terms:** Big errors can outweigh many small efforts. Key Takeaway Beware of large‑scale mistakes. Themes technology risk scale Mood cautious analytical Type technical practical When to use this quote - software development - project management - risk assessment - AI safety Key Concepts systemic failure human error computational limits Questions to Reflect On - How can we design systems to prevent massive errors? - What safeguards are essential for large‑scale computing? A Different Perspective It assumes linear scaling of effort, ignoring mitigation strategies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [250 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/250-years-958096/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Examining Output](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examining-output-4349082/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Men Examining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-examining-4349080/) [Mistake Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-big-849848/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Realize 400](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-400-4349081/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' 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