> -----Original Message----- > From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com > [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of > Deirdre Reagan > > Thanks all for the responses about alphanumeric characters > and the use of that terminology. > > I get that 123ABC consist of alphanumerical characters. > > However, does 123 consist of numerical characters? I would > say it consists of numbers. > > Does ABC consist of alpha characters? I would say it > consists of letters. > > In the documents I am working with, 123 is refered to as > numerical characters and ABC is refered to as alpha characters. > > Here's what I'm talking about: > > "Move the part numbers that begin with a numerical character > to the end of the list after the part numbers that begin with > an alpha character." > > I'm just wondering how widespread this usage is. Are these > terms just in my documents in my company, and I should make > the correction, or do technical writers the world over use > "alpha characters" to refer to letters and "numerical > characters" to refer to numbers?
In my somewhat limited experience, yes, this usage is widespread. That doesn't make it right. I think it's mostly just people trying to sound technical and fancy. If you're writing for programmers, maybe. If you're writing for a non-technical audience, I would use "number" and "letter." And for "alphanumeric characters," I would say "letters or numbers." But that may just be me. Bob HF: "So what do we do?" PH: "Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well." HF: "How?" PH: "I don't know. It's a mystery." --Shakespeare in Love
