Buzz
If you're a frequent internet surfer, you might have come across some strange Latin text floating around on websites under construction. This text may seem meaningless, but it all starts with two words, 'Lorem Ipsum.' So, what is this peculiar text, and why does it appear on the internet?
What does Lorem Ipsum look like?
You'll mostly find Lorem Ipsum on websites under construction, with passages like:
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercise ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea Goodsoequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariesur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia Desunt mollit anim id est labor.”
It might resemble a secret code or a message to some hidden organization, but the main purpose of Lorem Ipsum is much simpler. To understand why this text is used, let's explore the world of web designers.
What does Loren Ipsum say?
Lorem Ipsum is based on the book “De finibus bonorum et malorum” (On the Ends of Good and Evil), a work by the Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero. The text “Lorem Ipsum...” originates from a part of the book where Cicero discusses the pleasure doctrine. However, words have been added, removed, and altered, losing its original meaning.
Loren Ipsum is considered as random text used by graphic designers, website developers, etc., to incorporate it into their products. Loren Ipsum serves as an illustrative text, making it easy for clients to visualize the product they will receive.
Why is Lorem Ipsum used?
Imagine you're a web designer working on a project for a client. You want to show them how the website will look when filled with content. Typically, designers create dummy articles and put them on the website, so clients know how it looks in reality. The question is, how do you generate these dummy articles?
You could use repeated dummy text like: “blah blah blah,” “hello hello.” The issue is that this makes the text look unnatural, like a filler. Moreover, showing clients their new website with repetitive words scattered everywhere is unprofessional!
You could copy and paste content from other relevant websites based on what the clients desire. Although fake articles may display well, your clients might focus more on the article's elements than how the website looks. Worse still, if they dislike the posted article, it could negatively impact your design!
So, it's better to use gibberish words that mimic the shape and tone of an article but remain incomprehensible to clients. The solution is Lorem Ipsum, a paragraph that looks like Latin but is entirely meaningless. Clients “read” it as text, but they don't concentrate on the content itself; instead, they pay attention to your design.
If you're considering using Lorem Ipsum for your projects, using a Lorem Ipsum generator will provide you with this text.
Lorem Ipsum is a useful tool when introducing clients to a prototype design. Now that you know what it is and where it comes from, use it in your own way!
