Lorem ipsum

While working on a project at work, I used the Lorem Ipsum text for something and Trevor asked about my use of it. I learned it when I did desktop publishing as a kid. The wikipedia entry explains what Lorem ipsum is much better than I can.

In this case, Lorem ipsum had the opposite of its intended effect and I rewrote the whole thing to avoid using it. The lesson I learned is just as I shouldn’t bother with Hungarian notation in my programming, I should avoid greeking my web pages and text graphics.

Two things I learned from the entry that I didn’t know. First, the text is a bunch of fragments taken from a Cicero speech which explains why I could never translate it successfully.

Second, it has a second college meaning as “ramblings of a drunken youth”: “Did you go to the party last night? Dave was completely lorem ipsum.”

How appropriate! I have very many memories of college when I was completely Lorem ipsum. 🙂

4 thoughts on “Lorem ipsum

  1. Yeah, I had the same problem with a client once. I used the Lorem ipsum text in a mock-up, and he actually said (in all seriousness), “Our site’s not going to be in Greek, is it?” So, we couldn’t use it for him anymore because (for him) it detracted too much from the design.

  2. Years of careful research huh?

    “Thunder, thunder, thundercats, Ho! Thundercats are on the move, Thundercats are loose. Feel the magic, hear the roar, Thundercats are loose. Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thundercats!”

    Love it!

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