Whatever. I did put in a <grin> to imply that I was just kidding around. I use the word "underscore" simply because more people understand that to be the _ than if I used the phrase "break character". It is nice to use the proper word. Especially in formal technical conversation. That's why I prefer octothorpe for # rather than "pound sign" or "hash mark". But I don't really consider this forum to be formal technical conversation. I consider it to be informal technical (and other, such as this) conversation. And I prefer to be understood by the majority, even if I am "technically incorrect" in my word choice.
Each cat his own rat. (cf. "Citizen of the Galaxy" by Robert A. Heinlein) -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * [email protected] * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Assembler List > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Gilmore > Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 8:00 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Interesting observation > > De gustibus! If John McKown wishes to think of a break character as > one that underscores a blank/space character then he is of course free > to do so. > > That said, his approach---if it were taken seriously---would not be a > fertile one. The use of underlined characters, italic characters, > bold characters, unholy combinations of bold and italic characters, > and the like is better viewed as a presentation device, the > representation of which is kept distinct from and not confounded with > the representation of content. > > Much the same thing applied to other comments. Back spacing on a page > printer, overprinting on a line printer, and the like are accomplished > using formatting directives that, again, are and should be kept > distinct from the representation of content. > > --jg > > On 1/12/12, McKown, John <[email protected]> wrote: > > Every use of _ by me is definitely an underscore. I'm > underscoring the blank > > character <grin>. I would guess that, typographically > speaking, the _ is an > > underscore because the symbol_ is below the baseline. At > least in the > > "Courier New" typeface that I'm using. > > > > -- > > John McKown > > Systems Engineer IV > > IT > > > > Administrative Services Group > > > > HealthMarkets(r) > > > > 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 > > (817) 255-3225 phone * > > [email protected] * www.HealthMarkets.com > > > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain > confidential or > > proprietary information. If you are not the intended > recipient, please > > contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies > of the original > > message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products > underwritten and > > issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. > -The Chesapeake > > Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance > Company of > > TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM > > > > > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: IBM Mainframe Assembler List > >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of robin > >> Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 5:46 PM > >> To: [email protected] > >> Subject: Re: Interesting observation > >> > >> From: "John Gilmore" <[email protected]> > >> Sent: Thursday, 12 January 2012 3:51 AM > >> > >> > >> > The name 'underscore' for the character '_' is at best > a misnomer. > >> > It cannot be put under another character. > >> > >> It can be, on mechanical printers, at least. > >> These are of the kind that can backspace. > >> They include the Diablo and Qume printers > >> and those of their ilk that can print and back-space. > >> In Windows MS word, there's even a button for underlining. > >> > >> -- > >> This message has been scanned for viruses and > >> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > >> believed to be clean. > >> > >> > > > > > -- > John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA > >
