A technology post! Huzzah.
Most web designers- as well as a handful of misguided small business owners- have probably at one time or another downloaded an HTML or CSS website template. If you have, you may have noticed the odd text in the template. It may just look like gibberish, but it's actually a chunk of Latin text commonly referred to as Lorem Ipsum.
Lorem Ipsum has been used as placeholder text in design, layout, and graphic industries since the 1500's. It's roots are in fact in a Latin text (de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, or The Extremes of Good and Evil by Cicero) from 45BCE.
But What Can Lorem Ipsum Do for Me?
There are a couple of advantages to using "dummy text" or "Greek text" in your design, whether it be for a webpage, a magazine layout, or any other visual presentation. In some instances one may not receive content until after an actual layout has to be completed or approved. Yet a more valuable aspect with Lorem Ipsum, one is able to show the graphic elements of a design without distracting your audience with comprehendible text. Yep, if people can read the text on your layout they're less likely to pay attention to the design as a whole.
If you'd like to make your own (read: let a generator make for you) lorem ipsum, there is a link at the bottom of the post.
Now go forth, and Lorem Ipsum.
Funny enough, if you are using Indesign to design magazine layouts, it's a pre-loaded feature where you insert place holder text and POOF magic Latin appears. :D
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