
LaTeX Coffee Stains (2009) - gandalfar
http://hanno-rein.de/archives/349
======
improbable22
Some earlier research on this topic:

[http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.3365](http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.3365)

and

[http://arxiv.org/abs/0812.3367](http://arxiv.org/abs/0812.3367)

~~~
fizixer
wrong thread?

~~~
mjlee
Have a quick scan through the papers...

~~~
fizixer
Thanks. Got it.

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k2enemy
Along similar lines, I'm a fan of the "latex-therefore" package:
[https://github.com/bgschiller/latex-
therefore](https://github.com/bgschiller/latex-therefore)

------
p4bl0
I looked for something similar but with red wine instead of coffee for my PhD
thesis. It didn't exist so in the end I just used a scanned stain of red wine
and the wallpaper package :).

~~~
JohnHammersley
There is now a wine stains version too :)
[https://www.overleaf.com/latex/examples/latex-wine-
stains/cd...](https://www.overleaf.com/latex/examples/latex-wine-
stains/cdzqvdhxtgft)

(although I like your workaround!)

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gibsjose
This is right up there with \usepackage{amsmath} as a truly must-have package
for any real scientific paper.

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bitwize
Excellent. I've been looking to write some papers in heptapod, and found that
LaTeX was woefully not up to the task. This looks like a great starting point
for future expansion; thanks!

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zoom6628
This could create a whole digital market for food stains. Mac&Cheese, soy
sauce, pesto-drip,...... for those whose keyboard/desk is also their 'feeding
station' could be huge. Seriously though - its clever and great to have some
put their talent to something with humour instead of lets have the 57th
variant of some js thingy. Well done.

~~~
SpicyPython
Or another goddamn python datetime library

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wyc
Yes! This would go wonderfully with LobLib, the Lobster library:

[https://github.com/bae43/LobLib/](https://github.com/bae43/LobLib/)

~~~
yellowapple
I normally wouldn't pair seafood with coffee, though.

However, a tea stain or wine stain package would indeed pair nicely with
LobLib, now wouldn't it?

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bjd2385
Love it! Any thoughts on supporting different shades too? I like extra cream.

~~~
JohnHammersley
Lian Tze created this handy variant if you prefer to give a different
impression :)

[https://www.overleaf.com/latex/examples/latex-wine-
stains/cd...](https://www.overleaf.com/latex/examples/latex-wine-
stains/cdzqvdhxtgft)

~~~
jballanc
I feel like this package is more appropriate for the humanities than sciences.
(I kid!)

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amelius
I'm wondering if these stains would still be realistic if made on a full black
background, and an evenly colored background.

~~~
throwanem
How common a use case is that, though? I suppose it's possible someone might
print a paper for distribution on paper of some shade other than white, but
I've never seen it done.

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tedmiston
Slow load but eventually got through.

Here's a direct link to the PDF with examples of the coffee stains provided:

[http://hanno-rein.de/downloads/coffee.pdf](http://hanno-
rein.de/downloads/coffee.pdf)

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chrisper
Seems to be down for me.

[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:93GWNN8...](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:93GWNN820H8J:hanno-
rein.de/archives/349+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)

------
grzm
(2009)

~~~
ci5er
Really? Why?

EDIT: I see this terse comment (or rather, a comment with the form of) often,
but since the articles are often javascript framework related, I just assume
it's because that world keeps shifting. But, here, not so much. I don't see
any guidance in the guidelines to denote the age of "timeless" publications.
On the other hand, I saw somebody demand/request/suggest "(1912)" after an
Edgar Rice Burroughs work some time back. I guess I'm missing something?

~~~
grzm
It's common to provide the year of publication if it isn't current as some
additional metadata. Edit to add: This short, terse comment serves two
purposes: lets mods or the submitter know that they may want to update the
title, and lets viewers know the year in the meantime. While it's not in the
guidelines, it's customary. Currently six of the submissions on the front page
feature years. The "[pdf]" and "[video]" "tags" are similar.

~~~
ci5er
Gotcha. That makes sense. Thank you.

> It's common to provide the year of publication if it isn't current as some
> additional metadata.

I haven't seen that elsewhere (on other sites), except in posting
bibliographies, and where it is common, I've seen title-author-publication-
date as a bundle. It's not in the HN Guidelines; has this become a community
thing? Is it considered (by the community members) helpful?

~~~
grzm
_has this become a community thing? Is it considered (by the community
members) helpful?_

Yes to both. If it weren't, I doubt members would continue the practice. I
find it useful to know that it may be something I've come across in the past.
It also puts it in some context.

~~~
crististm
Have you considered this may be a form of cargo-cult?

This editorializing of the titles is similar to communities that have higher-
ups that are equal-but-more-so (mods) that suddenly because of their status
decide that their view must be the right one.

Mods adding the (publication year) is exactly like saying "hey, I've kind of
read this, it's kind of old and you may (not) be interested in it because it's
<years old>. I have no idea of the real value of the text but the year may
give you a clue". Please don't.

I don't have any issues with original submitter doing this.

~~~
grzm
I personally find it useful for the reasons I gave above. Given that other
members of the community sometimes complain that submissions aren't new or
current, I think it's likely useful to them as well. Submission titles are
also changed for other reasons in keeping with the guidelines, such as _please
use the original title, unless it is misleading or link bait._

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html)

Similarly, the "[pdf]" and "[video]" tags are included in the guidelines:

 _If you submit a link to a video or pdf, please warn us by appending [video]
or [pdf] to the title._

It sounds like you don't find it useful, which is fair enough. Do you find it
harmful or misleading in some way? If so, how so?

Edit to add: Parent updated with additional rationale:

 _Mods adding the (publication year) is exactly like saying "hey, I've kind of
read this, it's kind of old and you may (not) be interested in it because it's
<years old>. I have no idea of the real value of the text but the year may
give you a clue"._

I think you're reading too much into it. For me, it just puts the post into
chronological context. It doesn't give me the impression that it's any less
worthwhile to read. In some cases, the year provides additional interest,
particularly if it's older.

~~~
crististm
I understand complaints for "not new or current" if the reader is expecting
hacker _news_. But unless the expectations changed too much in last years this
site is not necessarily about _news_ as it is about _information_.

If the link is worth it then the year is irrelevant. If it's not worth it, the
year won't save it. Thus, adding the year just satisfies our appetite for
novelty.

~~~
Bjartr
>Thus, adding the year just satisfies our appetite for novelty.

The reverse for me, a link that's still interesting despite the intervening
years is one I'm more likely to click.

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bbcbasic
Can we have wine stains and blood stains too?

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reduced_
A must have.

