Add coffee stains to LaTeX documents (2021)
A LaTeX package that programmatically adds coffee and wine stains to PDFs prompts debate over how convincing the effects are and whether such visual gags enhance or cheapen formal documents. Commenters compare it to earlier “coffee ring” tools, share related utilities for faking scans and adding paper artefacts, and note uses ranging from clearly marking drafts to playfully subverting bureaucratic demands for “original” paperwork. The thread also spins off into musings on the culture of paperwork, physical coffee stains as a “seal of approval,” and whimsical ideas like hydrophobic mugs and internet-connected cups to prevent real spills.
Overall reaction to the LaTeX coffee-stain package
- Many find it charming, funny, and “essential” as an academic / LaTeX in-joke.
- Some see it as a delightful distraction from “real work” and hope the author was rewarded for it.
- Others are underwhelmed by the actual visuals and expected more realistic or aesthetic stains.
Visual quality and realism of the stains
- Several commenters say the color and tone feel wrong: too reddish, “murdery,” or not like real coffee.
- Stains are seen as obviously vector graphics and “posterized,” especially on-screen.
- Suggestions: blur edges, use lighter and more subtle tones, add grain, and reflect the darker ring common in real coffee stains.
- Some note the package also does wine/blood-like stains; a “bloodstain-only” fork is half-jokingly requested.
- A few point out that print vs screen appearance is hard to judge.
Use cases and playful workflows
- People mention using stains to mark drafts vs final versions, or to add character to class handouts and resumes.
- There are stories of faking “scanned originals” for bureaucracies by adding stains and artifacts in image editors.
- Related tools are shared: filters to mimic photocopy/scanner artifacts, fake-signature scripts, and sites that render code and documents as stained, hole-punched sheets.
- Some combine this with slight rotation, grayscale, and noise to create realistic “scanned” PDFs.
Intentionally blank pages and meta humor
- The thread spends time on jokes about “intentionally left blank” pages and self-contradictory disclaimers.
- People enjoy overly verbose explanations of why a “blank” page contains text, and related gags.
Coffee mugs, stains in real life, and materials
- A side discussion explores why mugs don’t have hydrophobic bottoms and whether coatings would help.
- Explanations of ceramic glazing, kiln firing, and “bare-footed” tableware appear, noting trade-offs like moisture absorption.
- Others propose overengineered solutions: levitating mugs, smart mugs with cameras and cloud inference, and subscription “No Stains as a Service.”
- Several express nostalgia for real coffee and wine stains as a “seal of approval” and as part of a document’s history.