Maybe we should discuss the correct name for Octothorp.
:-)
Tony Thigpen
-----Original Message -----
From: McKown, John
Sent: 01/12/2012 09:12 AM
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
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HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the
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-----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
