10 More Inventors Who Hated Their Own Creations

"You have created a monster, and it will destroy you!"

J. Robert Oppenheimer Atomic Bomb
United States Department of Energy/Office of Public Affairs (Via Wikimedia Commons)

When someone invents something, it's often for financial gain, a desire for fame, or simply to fill a niche with something that previously didn't exist. In most cases, these inventions go on to serve mankind in numerous ways, but not always in the way the inventor hoped they would.

Regretting one's own invention is something few innovators ever do, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened before. Famously, Alfred Nobel came to regret dynamite thanks to its use in warfare when all he wanted to do was clear mountains away and build bridges.

History is full of examples like Nobel's where an invention intended for peaceful purposes was instead used to wage war. That's not to say there aren't people out there who created something that found widespread use only to hate their own invention later on for any of a number of reasons. Often, these creations are equated to Frankenstein's monster... it started with good intentions, but things got out of hand.

Whatever their reasons, the creative folks who put their minds to work creating something new found a way to hate their creation.

10. Vincent Connare - Comic Sans Font

For every font, there was someone who dreamed it up and for Comic Sans, that person was Vincent Connare. The much-maligned font was created by Connare to be released in time for Windows 95. Connare threw the font together to replace the font used in the beta version of Microsoft Bob, software used to create comic strips. He wanted a more childlike font better suited to the program and he succeeded.

Comic Sans has since gone on to be used all over the world though it receives a ton of flack online. Improper uses include business memos, résumés/CVs, and other documents requiring a more formal approach. Granted, elementary school teachers all over the world get away with using it on a daily basis but try to turn in a college thesis with the font and see what happens.

Connare has something of a love/hate relationship with his creation. He understands why people don't like the font and even got on board with an online movement to ban it outright.

According to Connare, "If you love it, you don't know much about typography [but] if you hate it, you really don't know much about typography, either, and you should get another hobby."

 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com