Clergyman's

Mathematicians are there to find the constraints and to eliminate those things that aren't constraints... I know this will surprise many of you, but they are useful!
- Robert E. Machol

Sometimes it is more difficult to formulate the criterion for a problem than to state the question itself.
- Robert E. Machol

There comes a time when one must stop suggesting and evaluating new solutions, and get on with the job of analyzing and implementing one pretty good solution.
- Robert E. Machol

Most accidents in well-designed systems involve two or more events of low probability occurring in the worst possible combination.
- Robert E. Machol

Most accidents in well-designed systems involve two or more events of low probability occurring in the worst possible combination.
- Robert E. Machol

Most accidents in well-designed systems involve two or more events of low probability occurring in the worst possible combination.
- Robert E. Machol

Most accidents in well-designed systems involve two or more events of low probability occurring in the worst possible combination.
- Robert E. Machol

The ideal system engineer is an engineer thoroughly versed in his field but conversant with and knowledgeable of other fields. You have to have the capability and desire to become a 'six-month expert'... You've got to want to become a generalist, too.
- Robert E. Machol

There are four distinct bases on which a system-design book might be organized. First are the chronological phases through which the system-design effort passes, such as organization and preliminary design. Second are the logical steps such as analysis of the single thread and high traffic . Third are the parts of the system, such as communications and displays. Fourth are the tools of system design, such as information theory and queueing theory.
- Robert E. Machol

Everyone knows what engineering is. All that's left is to define systems, and I'm not fool enough to do that.
- Robert E. Machol