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Comment by nostromo | Hacker News Reader

I've been using the sign feature in Preview on Mac for a while now and love it. I no longer use a printer. Nice to see someone remove the download, save, and attach step.

Every time I use Preview, I can't help but feel like the entire idea of a signature is archaic and strange. In effect, I'm forging my own signature with Preview, and nobody cares. While I'm at it, I wish I could not only "sign" the document, but sign it in e-blood and maybe add a skeuomorphic graphic that seals the email in paraffin wax with a old english stamp of my initials.

Or maybe someone can figure out how to get us beyond signatures.

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Thanks - I didn't even know it was an option. Apparently it is on Lion and above (which is 10.7 for those of us who can't keep their cat's straight).

Here's a link to how it works: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20082711-285/how-to-use-...

What's really strange is, AFAIK, typing your name in an electronic document is just as legally binding as inserting an image of your handwritten signature, yet many companies won't accept this, and insist instead on an image of my handwritten signature.

Any lawyers care to clarify on the law here?

> What's really strange is, AFAIK, typing your name in an electronic document is just as legally binding as inserting an image of your handwritten signature, [...]

Which jurisdiction are you talking about?

Interesting factoid. In many states, the important thing about signatures is the intent of the signatory. Did they intend for said mark, whatever it may be, to be their signature?? If yes, then it is just that.

So, for example, you could just write or type a letter "x" and you would be fine.

Finding that out, I've increasingly been prone to putting little drawings next to my name.

Interesting - is there a public listing of which states this is true?

If you're interested in what modern day philosophers think of signatures (spoiler: they also think they are strange) check out Limited, Inc. by Jacques Derrida.

Just to point out that when you send a PDF document signed with Preview, I can open that document, extract your signature, and paste it in any other PDF that I want to. For me, this makes it too dangerous to use.

Couldn't they just scan/cut/paste a regularly signed signature? I know it makes the process harder - but someone determined..

Or just screenshot it.

The PDF can be flattened by printing, then saving from the print dialog.

As opposed to regular docs, where I can photograph/scan/screenshot your signature and paste it in?

Unlike say a photocopier and a pair of scissors, or cutting a pasting a screenshot of a scanned document?

It's always been trivial to forge a signature to pass cursory examination, this is just another easy way.

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