--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be careful, and go slowly. Computers are…" description: "\"“Be careful, and go slowly. Computers are intolerant of mistakes; they do just what you tell them to do, not what you meant for them to do.”\" — Peter H..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/peter-h-gregory-29447_computers_be-careful-and-go-slowly-computers-are-i_2258393.jpg" --- # Be careful, and go slowly. Computers are intolerant of… ![“Be careful, and go slowly. Computers are intolerant of mistakes; they do just what you tell them to do, not what you meant for them to do.” quote by Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/peter-h-gregory-29447_computers_be-careful-and-go-slowly-computers-are-i_2258393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/peter-h-gregory-29447_computers_be-careful-and-go-slowly-computers-are-i_2258393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/peter-h-gregory-29447_computers_be-careful-and-go-slowly-computers-are-i_2258393.jpg) > ““Be careful, and go slowly. Computers are intolerant of mistakes; they do just what you tell them to do, not what you meant for them to do.”” [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Computers follow instructions exactly; they cannot interpret intent, so careful, slow coding avoids errors. **In simple terms:** Computers do exactly what you program. Key Takeaway Program deliberately and verify each step. Themes software development error prevention attention to detail Mood cautious methodical Type practical educational When to use this quote - coding - system administration - debugging Key Concepts algorithmic precision human-computer interaction Questions to Reflect On - What steps do you take to ensure precision? - How can you test for unintended behavior? A Different Perspective Rushing leads to bugs that are hard to fix later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' 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I guess there's more pressure when you're in the public eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-marais/as-a-new-mother-you-re-so-vulnerable-and-make-mistakes-all-the-time-i/) [Jessica Marais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-marais/) ## More by Peter H. Gregory > [“The people who wrote viruses knew they had to stay one step ahead; they developed ways to make their viruses more difficult to detect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/the-people-who-wrote-viruses-knew-they-had-to-stay-one-step-ahead/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“virus writers lack the basic social and moral values and the “well-formed consciousness” that are the hallmarks of civilized modern societies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/virus-writers-lack-the-basic-social-and-moral-values-and-the-well/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“if there’s any software you need to be comfortable with, it’s your antivirus software. It’s a lot like automobile tires or insurance: Reliability and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/if-there-s-any-software-you-need-to-be-comfortable-with-it-s-your/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“Viruses don’t just happen; people write them deliberately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/viruses-don-t-just-happen-people-write-them-deliberately/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“It’s more important to install your antivirus software correctly than quickly”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/it-s-more-important-to-install-your-antivirus-software-correctly-than/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“data files aren’t executable, and viruses have to be executed. 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Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“The Registry is a special database in the computer that contains a multitude (literally thousands) of configuration settings used by Windows and many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/the-registry-is-a-special-database-in-the-computer-that-contains-a/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“Buying antivirus software is like buying insurance: It’s important to make a good choice now just in case you need the assistance later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/buying-antivirus-software-is-like-buying-insurance-it-s-important-to/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“the older versions of Windows that —rumor has it — are equipped with the fabled “time to crash!” feature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/the-older-versions-of-windows-that-rumor-has-it-are-equipped-with-the/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) > [“A “better” biological virus — like a computer virus — will perhaps just make its host sick, but still well enough to keep spreading the virus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-gregory/a-better-biological-virus-like-a-computer-virus-will-perhaps-just/) [Peter H. Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) [Explore all 18 Peter H. Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-gregory/) ## 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. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. 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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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