Dummy Text

By the title of this post, it might seem that this is going to be filled with random text just to fill the page. Well, close..

I am in the process of developing a few new websites for some clients. I have found that they are not always, um, shall we say, ‘Timely’ when it comes to supply me with the actual copy/content for the site. As you can imagine, I cannot just want around for them to give me the words that go on the page! I need to get moving and develop the site so they can see what it will look like.

In cases like these, it is time to turn to Lorem Ipsum!

As the website, http://www.lipsum.com/, explains,

“Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.”

I would typically go to this site to generate a few paragraphs of text that look like:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin et risus sapien. Aliquam tempus sapien non laoreet posuere.

Fusce dolor nulla, interdum ultricies quam vitae, sagittis interdum enim. Nulla a nunc enim. Vestibulum mollis sodales tincidunt. Nulla ullamcorper dui quis magna feugiat, vel fringilla libero tristique. Nulla aliquet aliquam nisl, et aliquam nibh lacinia quis.

When it is put on a page, it looks more ‘functional’ such as:

 

Well, I was in a playful mood and did not want the typical, boring text. So I turned to my friend Google and ask for some alternatives. It seems that Mashable has already combined a list of 56 alternatives to the boring Latin looking text!

For example, are you a Breaking Bad fan? Go with Heisenberg Ipsum filler text such as:

I have been waiting. I’ve been waiting all day. Waiting for Gus to send one of his men to kill me. And it’s you. Who do you know, who’s okay with using children, Jesse? Who do you know… who’s allowed children to be murdered… hmm? Gus! He has, he has been ten steps ahead of me at every turn.

And now, the one thing that he needed to finally get rid of me is your consent and boy he’s got that now. He’s got it. And not only does he have that, but he manipulated you into pulling the trigger for him. Come on! Don’t you see? You are the last piece of the puzzle. You are everything that he’s wanted.

September 19th is International Pirate day – maybe Pirate Ipsum should be used on that day:

Sutler measured fer yer chains lookout warp dead men tell no tales Nelsons folly scourge of the seven seas fore me smartly. Gangplank grog blossom prow Admiral of the Black blow the man down spanker carouser to go on account shrouds mizzenmast. Fore yardarm keel Chain Shot fire ship rigging square-rigged schooner lass belay.

Reef lateen sail no prey, no pay black jack gangway gangplank gibbet port pressgang jack. Come about hardtack quarter Shiver me timbers reef draught boatswain lookout hornswaggle scuppers. Tender main sheet mizzenmast ballast Blimey pillage snow long boat boatswain hail-shot.

Lastly, maybe you are a crazy cat person and prefer Cat Ipsum:

Cat ipsum dolor sit amet, give attitude. Behind the couch nap all day but leave hair everywhere make muffins. Hide when guests come over intently stare at the same spot burrow under covers destroy couch intently stare at the same spot make muffins but find something else more interesting.

Burrow under covers intently sniff hand under the bed. Stand in front of the computer screen stare at ceiling so hide when guests come over so inspect anything brought into the house and rub face on everything.

You get the idea! Next time you need filler text, do a search and see what you find, or check out that Mashable page.

I am adding a new text generator in case you want something more soothing, like the painter,  Bob Ross Ipsum:

There are no mistakes. You can fix anything that happens. Just let your mind wander and enjoy. This should make you happy. You can do anything your heart can imagine. Get away from those little Christmas tree things we used to make in school. Maybe there was an old trapper that lived out here and maybe one day he went to check his beaver traps, and maybe he fell into the river and drowned.

You can find this one directly at Bob Ross Lipsum.

Which is YOUR favorite generator? Leave a comment below and let me know!