War of the passive-aggressive office notes: Comic Sans edition

Poor old Comic Sans, always getting a bum rap, as in this photo of a pair of dueling passive-aggressive door-notes at an unnamed Fortune 500 corporation. Funny: I fault signmaker the first more for the excessive use of exclamation points; and number two needs a refresher course in capitalization -- "lemonade stand" is only a proper noun if you're talking about the Apple ][+ game.

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Anonymous

I agree with these five points: Using Comic Sans is tacky, using a paper sign in a fortune 500 company is tacky, using ANOTHER paper sign to mock the first paper sign is tacky, the first sign uses to many punctuation marks, and the second sign is incorrectly capitalized, diminishing the superior attitude the second sign maker was attempting to convey somewhat.

If they are indeed a fortune 500 company, couldn’t they afford a plaque or something?

Oh, and I think the second font might be the appropriately expensive Helvetica. Note the ‘t’ ‘r’ and ‘a’, they usually give it away. After all, a snooty fortune 500 exec would NEVER use a free font would they?
pAULbOWEN

So many people think passive-aggressive means aggression that stops short of physical violence.
It doesn’t.
neurolux

Sigh. I miss serifs.
Anonymous

I mentioned yesterday they should have re-posted a new sign in Papyrus, and see what the reaction would be.
straponego

These comments are inspiring. Next time a certain VP at my company sends an email to the team in her trademark Comic Sans, I’m going to respond enthusiastically in Papyrus. Yes, we do have a nice severance package, why do you ask?
TJ Anderson

IMO what font was used is a trite argument compared to the fact that someone used paper and tape to inform people to keep a door closed at a fortune 500 company.

There are only three specific reasons I can think of for designating that a door should remain closed. (whether or not the sign maker wanted people to stay out seems ambiguous)

1. Safety/Policy: If it is either hazardous or cumbersome to leave the door open then there should be an engraved permanent sign, or some other form of sign that can’t be ripped off by any passer by and tossed in the recycling bin.

2. Meeting in progress: Does not require a sign, or should be more specific. If the room is frequently occupied with closed door meetings, and you work there, you should know whether or not your supposed to be there. Also most conference rooms either have windows or only close the doors if they don’t want you coming in.

3. Sex: If you are having sex in your office, storage room, or other secluded room the more appropriate sign is a tie on the door knob. Or simply lock the door.

In all three cases it seems inappropriate to post a paper sign. Unless of course there is no real reason for keeping the door closed and the sign maker has taken it upon himself to enforce rules that they made up. In which case they are a douche and deserve mockery regardless of the font used.
blurgh

Perhaps Number Two was a Lawyer? For some reason, Lawyers seem to like to Capitalise random Words.

On the other hand, at least Neither Party in this Communication is misusing the Term ‘passive-aggressive’.
- dculberson
  
  Lawyers typically capitalize things that have been defined within the given document. For example, in the intro or “definitions” section it might say “Tenant: Bobby’s Lemonade Stand,” then throughout the document when it refers to Bobby’s Lemonade Stand, it will use the term “Tenant.” Capitalizing it serves as a reminder that it’s been defined and should conflicting opinions arise about what that term means you should refer back to the definition.
  
  (I have actually had that come up, and having the term defined saved my bacon.) ((I am not a lawyer, but draft lawyerly documents as part of my tasks at work))
Bryan

I’m comic sans, asshole
- mstoddard
  
  “Enough of this bullshit. I’m gonna go get hammered with Papyrus.”
LinkTiger

I see the arguments in the so-called “font wars” as analogies for American political arguments. The Font Democrats have been classically trained in typography and thus understand why Comic Sans is so completely distasteful. Font Republicans, on the other hand, see Comic Sans as a triumph of the everyman–the “Joe the Plumber” of the typographisphere–against the “liberal font elitists.”
Anonymous

Number Two was more likely the English translation of a German philosopher. But seriously, I hate seeing someone get their Dasein in a bunch over a minor-font-issue-in-the-workplace.
3eff_jeff

Man, if I worked there, I’d type a note in Papyrus that says, “Serious note written by serious employee are serious.”
4649

re: capitalization

The ‘errant’ Capitalization may indicate that this Notice was posted by persons operating within the ordinary scope of their Duties in the Legal Department of a Fortune 500 company.
- Anonymous
  
  Back when America’s legal system got started, English wasn’t quite considered a real language, like, say, Latin or French. People spelled any way they wanted to and nobody cared.
  
  And some People capitalized according to the german Rules, where any Noun gets a capital Letter.
  
  In the Course of human Events, when it comes Time for one People to sever the Bonds which bind it to something something well you get the idea.
Birdseed

I know a fair few people who hate Helvetica as well. :D (What kind of fortune 500 company uses PC’s and Macs in what I assume is the same department?)

Oh, and while we’re grammar policing, those corporate text logos like Apple 2 plus’s – ridiculous subversion of proper grammar by corporate interests.
- Anonymous
  
  My department has Mac’s and PC’s … depends on the kind of work your department does I think.
  
  Also looks more like Arial to me?
Vidya108

I can’t believe someone else remembers Lemonade Stand. Even I had forgotten about it.
- dragonfrog
  
  Oh yes – never invest in advertising when there’s a 40% chance of showers!
Nadreck

Of course, the final word in the Font Wars is:

http://vodpod.com/watch/892584-college-humors-font-conference
Quiet Wyatt

“GUYS! COME QUICK! I FOUND HIM!”
Anonymous

font nazis are boring
Darryl

C’mon people, let’s get the attribution correct: http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2010/07/19/the-53rd-annual-punctuation-posse-round-up/
apoxia

I’ve noticed two recent sad misuses of comic sans:
1. the writing on a monument
2. the writing on the sign of a motel.

The monument one is quite shocking.
Thad E Ginataom

@Bryan

Thank you for the best laugh of my day: I’m comic sans, asshole
Anonymous

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/monologues/15comicsans.html
MarkM

Wouldve been funny if the Comic Sans guy had posted a reply to the Fortune 500 guy in Papyrus.
Anonymous

You know who else was a font Nazi? Hitler.