This is Signal vs. Noise, a weblog by 37signals about design, business, experience, simplicity, the web, culture, and more. Established 1999 in Chicago. Visit the Product Blog for more information on our products.

What was the big heavy box?

Don’t knock child labour – look on it as a learning experience, character building even!

Looks like a big plasma/LCD from the picture on the box. Must be big if it takes two nine-year olds. Yummy.

I was thinking the opposite. Those are either two giants lifting a tv, or the tv is made of solid lead.

Yeah, I’ve got to go with giants as well.

I interpreted the illustration this way:

“Warning! If two kids fight over this product, it may fly up into the air!”

That’s an awful representation. Both “kids” are about to fall over backwards.

So how big did you go with the flat screen? 42inch?

It’s definitely a Dell LCD panel, and probably the 24” or the 30” at least (smaller ones only require one child to lift).

Believe me they are heavier things then you might think; I would definitely recommend using the two supplied 9 year olds to do the lifting for you.

They actually look like blind cave-dwelling 9-year olds, eyeless and all.

Well, they’re young. Unlike us almost-geezers, they can afford a sore back and recover themselves in no time.

Wishing I could be unpacking one of those today, still.

They are too young to realize they shouldn’t arch their back. Just wait ‘til gym class in a few years boys.

I still don’t see whats wrong with a little unpaid child labor!

:)

I’m interested what it is about these featureless outlines that makes them look young. They’re thin with smallish faces, but otherwise I’m not seeing it. I think this might be due to a brain problem on my part though :)

The sideburns suggest that teenagers are required.

Those aren’t just 9 year olds, they’re identical twins!

I’m with Peter Cooper, I think the sideburns mean they are at least in their early teen years. My guess is that they are actually a Cirque du Soleil act and they are able to the arched back, off balance appearing stunt due to their years and years of gymnastics training.

I could be wrong, but…

Is it just me, or is this blog starting to reach for topics, to find something to post, in a desperate attempt to keep the audience? I visit occasionally here, in search of wisdom, but I find these kinds of filler posts a waste of time. Sorry 37Signals, we expect more (er… should I say “we expect less”?!)

And if they don’t watch out they are going to hit their heads on the wrecklessly placed “Handle with Care” when they stand up. Remember kids – lift with your legs, not your back!

Interesting that the illustrations demonstrate exactly how not to lift something heavy, without totally ganking your lower back.

Ignore Jonathon. He’s just jealous he doesn’t have eyeless, earless, mouthless, sideburned twin 9 year olds with bad lifting techniques working in his office.

Now even nine-year-olds have better sideburns than I.

I agree Mike. Jonathon is definitely lacking in the eyeless, earless, etc. child department. Maybe his oompa-loompas just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Anyway, it’s THEIR blog. They should be able to write whatever they darn well please.

I agree Mike. Jonathon is definitely lacking in the eyeless, earless, etc. child department. Maybe his oompa-loompas just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Anyway, it’s THEIR blog. They should be able to write whatever they darn well please.

That’s so funny. Yesterday I was opening a monitor box from Dell which showed that exact picture. I laughed for the very same reason.

@jonathan: At least they haven’t gone from a technical blog to one that instructs people on how to make cheese sandwiches!

http://pragdave.pragprog.com/pragdave/2007/02/toasted_cheese.html

Peter – I think it is that their heads are slightly too large for their bodies. Isn’t it true that children don’t ‘grow into’ their heads, and therefore have an appropriate head-to-body-size ratio until 10 years? i think this is what does it with this picture…

The world’s going to hell .. 37s with DELL hardware? Isn’t there an apple video about these guys? j/k

Easy there JF, that product went home with Steve, so it wasn’t officially a Coudal purchase.

The guys have sideburns…kids can’t grow sideburns.

this is an obvious situation of people not thinking outside of the box…

these children are fighting over the monitor—-

not lifting it.

cd

The kids are included right? So do you throw them away when you’re done, or do you just put them back in the box for later use?

I am pretty sure that those are two Japanese guys fighting over a Famicon.

Must be a playstation 3.