--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no other major item most of us…" description: "\"There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers.\" — Walt Mossberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png" --- # There's no other major item most of us own that is as… ![“There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers.” quote by Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png) > “There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers.” [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal computers are uniquely unpredictable and unreliable, causing user frustration. **In simple terms:** Computers are confusing and unreliable. Key Takeaway Plan for tech issues proactively. Themes technology uncertainty user experience Mood frustrated pragmatic Type practical observational When to use this quote - remote work - online learning - home office - travel Key Concepts human‑computer interaction design Questions to Reflect On - How do you mitigate computer failures? - What backup strategies work best? A Different Perspective Reliance on tech can hinder productivity when failures occur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Personal computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-computers/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Unpredictable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpredictable/) ## Related quotes > [Ideas are unpredictable and unreliable. You need to grab them while you can, whenever they present themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/ideas-are-unpredictable-and-unreliable-you-need-to-grab-them-while/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [For many years, even as users became more sophisticated, personal computers took too much effort to use without problem-solving, keeping alive the yearning for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/for-many-years-even-as-users-became-more-sophisticated-personal/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [The most important work I got a chance to be involved in, no matter what I do, is the personal computer... I even knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-most-important-work-i-got-a-chance-to-be-involved-in-no-matter/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The Cube is approximately - it's around the same age as the Internet, and in that time, we had no personal computers yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erno-rubik/the-cube-is-approximately-it-s-around-the-same-age-as-the-internet/) [Erno Rubik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erno-rubik/) > [“At the same time, those powerful computers spend 95 percent of their time doing absolutely nothing. Modern personal computers perform very few tasks that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dourish/at-the-same-time-those-powerful-computers-spend-95-percent-of-their/) [Paul Dourish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dourish/) > [You have to be very skilled in this industry. I grew in this industry; we created the very beginnings of this industry. We made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/you-have-to-be-very-skilled-in-this-industry-i-grew-in-this-industry/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) > [It is always the young that make the change. You don't get these ideas when you're middle-aged. Young people have daring, creativity, imagination and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-is-always-the-young-that-make-the-change-you-don-t-get-these-ideas/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The message that personal computers can do neat things, that software is great stuff, that there's an exciting opportunity here and Microsoft is involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-message-that-personal-computers-can-do-neat-things-that-software/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The vast majority of people do not have, nor will they ever have a personal computer. They haven't been exposed to Windows or Office,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-elop/the-vast-majority-of-people-do-not-have-nor-will-they-ever-have-a/) [Stephen Elop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-elop/) > [I often think about the many remarkable things that my personal computer can do which I never ask it to do. I probably use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-s-fletcher/i-often-think-about-the-many-remarkable-things-that-my-personal/) [Geoffrey S. Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-s-fletcher/) > [The term, information at your fingertips, is to remind people what a broad role the personal computer will be playing. It's not a computation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-term-information-at-your-fingertips-is-to-remind-people-what-a/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-i-had-never-dropped-in-on-that-single-course-in-college-the-mac-2/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The biggest effect of the personal computer revolution has been to allow millions and millions of people to experience computers themselves decades before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-biggest-effect-of-the-personal-computer-revolution-has-been-to/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-think-it-s-fair-to-say-that-personal-computers-have-become-the-most/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I was always interested in technology. When personal computers came out, I was one of the first to pick one up and begin playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamoru-oshii/i-was-always-interested-in-technology-when-personal-computers-came/) [Mamoru Oshii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamoru-oshii/) ## More by Walt Mossberg > [I wasn't surprised to find Samsung's OLED screen to be bright, vivid, and clear. It's beautiful, although in viewing some photos and videos, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-wasn-t-surprised-to-find-samsung-s-oled-screen-to-be-bright-vivid/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Books should cost less and they should be digital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/books-should-cost-less-and-they-should-be-digital/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Just remember: you're not a 'dummy,' no matter what those computer books claim. The real dummies are the people who-though technically expert-couldn't design hardware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/just-remember-you-re-not-a-dummy-no-matter-what-those-computer-books/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I have on my wall right now a front page of the 'Journal' from January 1991, when I co-wrote a front-page story about Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-have-on-my-wall-right-now-a-front-page-of-the-journal-from-january/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Microsoft makes numerous apps for both Android and iOS, as do Google, Amazon and Facebook. You can run iTunes and iCloud on Windows and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/microsoft-makes-numerous-apps-for-both-android-and-ios-as-do-google/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of operations, has been called 'Tim Cook's Tim Cook' by some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/jeff-williams-apple-s-senior-vice-president-of-operations-has-been/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [The products I review are typically lent to me by their manufacturers for a few weeks or months. I return any products I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/the-products-i-review-are-typically-lent-to-me-by-their-manufacturers/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Who have I picked fights with over the years? Bill Gates. Google. Mark Zuckerberg. Even - despite everything that's written about my relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/who-have-i-picked-fights-with-over-the-years-bill-gates-google-mark/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [There are lots of reasons email persists, even as faster and simpler forms of communication proliferate and your personal communications likely have mostly migrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/there-are-lots-of-reasons-email-persists-even-as-faster-and-simpler/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Big screens helped propel Samsung to top-tier prominence and helped iPhone sales explode a few years later. But for many, including myself, the biggest-screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/big-screens-helped-propel-samsung-to-top-tier-prominence-and-helped/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Though it has plenty of competitors, Slack claims to be the 'fastest growing business application in history'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/though-it-has-plenty-of-competitors-slack-claims-to-be-the-fastest/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [When I walk into a Best Buy, I now see, right from the front door, a giant Apple logo. I see a giant Samsung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/when-i-walk-into-a-best-buy-i-now-see-right-from-the-front-door-a/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I try not to make snap judgments. I never, ever make conclusions about products I've never tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-try-not-to-make-snap-judgments-i-never-ever-make-conclusions-about/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I believe that tablets - and especially the iPad - are extremely versatile and productive tools for consumers, schools and businesses and are better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-believe-that-tablets-and-especially-the-ipad-are-extremely/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [It turns out that CVS is one of about 40 merchants in a consortium that formed in 2011 to develop their own mobile-phone-based payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/it-turns-out-that-cvs-is-one-of-about-40-merchants-in-a-consortium/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) [Explore all 115 Walt Mossberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) ## 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. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. 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. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walt Mossberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-own-that-is-as-confusing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-own-that-is-as-confusing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/walt-mossberg-4158_computers_there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-o_1971549.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our…” — Walt Mossberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Walt Mossberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's no other major item most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-own-that-is-as-confusing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/there-s-no-other-major-item-most-of-us-own-that-is-as-confusing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```