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Marketing vs Reality (imgur.com)

submitted ago by twitmer

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[–]ohokaykay 48 points49 points ago

Just like when you sign the things delivery people have, looks like a big scribble

[–]twitmer[S] 19 points20 points ago

Makes you wonder why they bother with the signature at all.

[–]whatitslike 28 points29 points ago

For legal reasons. If you sign something, you sign something regardless of the accuracy.

[–]AlpineWolf 22 points23 points ago

This 100x.

Many people don't realize that signatures are for authorization, not verification.

It's about being able to ask you in court "did you sign this", not "we can prove 100% that you signed this."

[–]pic10F206 10 points11 points ago

But what would happen if the delivery guy decides to keep my package and fake my signature? I don't think it would be possible to differentiate between a fake signature and the real one. (I mean in that cheap devices, in paper it would be much harder to fake a signature).

Also, I don't understand how is it possible to check authorization without being able to verify. Very valuable items are shipped everyday so this is not a trivial issue.

[–]AlpineWolf 5 points6 points ago

Keep in mind that forging a signature is a felony in the US if I remember correctly, so the delivery guy would be a criminal suspect to a very serious crime.

I could be wrong, but I think it's the criminal aspect that keeps people from forging signatures. Otherwise it would be more or less simple to forge checks for large amounts (and I am sure that check fraud is a felony.)

[–]peture 4 points5 points ago

Exactly! The whole signature thing, relies on a belief that people are basically honest and good natured. Of course, in general this is true, most of the time, but it really doesn't have any effect on those who aren't so good natured. It probably does have some preventive effect, but it might also be a bit redundant when you think about it.

[–]pic10F206 1 point2 points ago

After searching felony in the web, it doesn't look like a good idea to fake a signature and steal an iPhone 5 from the delivery truck :D

[–]trueneverland 1 point2 points ago

The problem is proving so.

[–]Pyro919 2 points3 points ago

I wonder if the signatures are tagged with location/time information to help with that?

[–]poisonpatch 3 points4 points ago

I don't think it would be possible to differentiate between a fake signature and the real one.

I'm not sure about that. There's usually a measure of consistency and professionals at this can tell when you're faking it. I'm sure this has already happened before.

[–]reddit-delenda-est 9 points10 points ago

Not if you're signing one of those electronic ones. Because they will never look alike, and never look like your real signature.

[–]trueneverland 3 points4 points ago

What reddit-delenda-est said, but also for the simple fact that my signature never looks the same even with pen and paper lol

[–]YosefLevi 1 point2 points ago

Still doesn't make sense to me. I see it as a matter of the probability that a signature belongs to a person; the lower the probability, the lower the likelihood that a legal agreement occurred.

A signature is not just for authorization. If that was the case, then why don't we just rely on oral agreements? "Yes, I accept this package.", or "Yes, I agree to this deal." I believe that signatures have a legal history of verification, and not merely authorization, and that it is this distinguishing feature which has led people to prefer a signature over a verbal confirmation.

[–]whatitslike 0 points1 point ago

Signatures do tens to e more reliable, that is why the law requires many things to be on writing. Look into the Statutes of Frauds. You may think its easy for people to just lie about signing something, but for many important document that I why you have a witness.

[–]DoorMarkedPirate 2 points3 points ago

I just explain that I'm illiterate and mark it with a big "X."

[–]cardfire 3 points4 points ago

... On the line marked "Signature" :-)

[–]imahotdoglol 7 points8 points ago

And then the stylus doesn't create marks right where you put it, it goes of to the left or up some because they're so worn out.

[–]ohokaykay 4 points5 points ago

I did signed for a package today and i think my signature was a diagonal line, beauty!

[–]cody_au 5 points6 points ago

"This will do."

[–]MindlessDreamer 3 points4 points ago

The delivery people don't really care either, they know how stupid it is.

[–]zurratype 4 points5 points ago

Well, I do remember this issue I recently signed for something and it did a pretty damn good job. So theres that.

[–]bmwracer0 14 points15 points ago

Square actually published a few articles online about the algorithms they use to smooth out signatures. I'll see if I can find them.

Here they are: http://corner.squareup.com/2012/07/smoother-signatures.html http://corner.squareup.com/2010/07/smooth-signatures.html

[–]Stratisphear 1 point2 points ago

Doesn't smoothing out a signature and changing it kind of defeat the purpose of a signature?

[–]johnsweber 8 points9 points ago

No, signatures are not used for verification. They are used to hold you accountable. On your next purchase, sign completely different than you normally would. It will go through fine. But if you are asked under oath if you signed it or not, make sure you know the penalty for perjury. :p

[–]johnsweber 2 points3 points ago

My signatures look better on square than with pen. :p so not sure why the OP is having so much trouble with it.

[–]caparza 8 points9 points ago

that 100% depends on the person who is signing. i work with them and some people's signature looks like chicken scratch, where as others looks better than Thomas Jefferson

[–]johnsmcjohn 3 points4 points ago

Actually Jefferson had a rather illegible signature as well.

[–]Omegle 1 point2 points ago

but classy as fuck...

[–]BaconOverdose 14 points15 points ago

Guess we found the reason Apple invented iPad mini.

[–]ecib 4 points5 points ago

Funny. I was just thinking how awesome signatures in Square look when signed by finger on an iPod touch this weekend. I use Square all the time and it always looks better than that lower signature when I sign. It's all about the person who signs it. If they do their signature in a fast fluid motion it looks like the top pic. If they go slowly, stopping and starting, well I guess you might end up with the bottom pic, but my handwriting isn't that bad so I'm not sure.

Maybe older versions of the software have a different smoothing algorithm, but the current version is solid in my experience.

[–]jevmorgan 2 points3 points ago

Does that signature say "Chris Rock?"

[–]jonny- 1 point2 points ago

some apps correct pretty well. try bamboo paper or paper for iPad.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paper-by-fiftythree/id506003812?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bamboo-paper-notebook/id443131313?mt=8

[–]trueneverland 0 points1 point ago

Its not super accurate. If you write big, its better but if you write small, its almost not even accurate at all, that's with trying with different styluses

[–]coppersink 7 points8 points ago

To be fair, if you wanted to write on a phone then you should have got a Note.

[–]cardfire -1 points0 points ago

This comment is phabulet!

[–]hollowgram[!] 1 point2 points ago

... or spent a dollar on a capacitative stylus from dx.com

[–]2Deluxe -1 points0 points ago

As an owner of an iPhone 4S with a stylus and a Galaxy Note II, there is absolutely no comparison.

[–]Teslanaut 3 points4 points ago

Instead of a signature, why not take a picture with the person who received their package?

[–]poisonpatch 2 points3 points ago

What if it's like Mission Impossible and they have the fake face thing on? What are you going to do then? Suddenly Tom Cruise has your new iPad mini.

[–]Teslanaut 2 points3 points ago

I wouldn't even be mad.

[–]Msechea 1 point2 points ago

this example of marketing vs reality isn't all that bad.

[–]pussypinch 0 points1 point ago

So, you get a medical license too?

[–]anthonybsd 1 point2 points ago

I think it depends on the person. I just tried it and I can reliably reproduce a fairly legible version of my signature with IPhone 5.

[–]LateralThinkerer 0 points1 point ago

I usually sign any name but my own, and do it as legibly as possible. They don't care.

[–]Assbergrs 0 points1 point ago

What is the thing sticking out of the phone?

[–]kiddfroster 2 points3 points ago

The Square credit card reader.

[–]molo1134 0 points1 point ago

Is that a white guy signing "Chris Rock" ??

[–]SgtQuack -1 points0 points ago

Poppit Bot: Featured on Poppit's BETA Site (http://rpop.zmr.me/)

[–]mantra 0 points1 point ago

My mother (a former school teacher) rants about how teaching cursive writing is no longer required (never mind the type of calligraphy that inspired Steve Jobs and that I had to take in public school in the 6th grade). So that cursive used to be standard for signatures apparently today hand-printed block letter signatures are more common and intersecting that with tablet finger-tip or even stylus is bound to be Epic Fail.

[–]IRELANDJNR -2 points-1 points ago

Thought this was going to be about the new iMacs. Still want.

[–]bluthru -2 points-1 points ago

What does this have to do with Apple?

This is for Square.

[–]Cassiop 0 points1 point ago

Even with a stylus my signatures look like shit on touch screen devices

[–]palillo2006 12 points13 points ago

Even on paper my signature looks like shit.

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