f-e-k improvement discussion continued

[Rick Stevens]

On 07/19/2010 10:17 AM, Adam Williamson wrote:
> On Mon, 2010-07-19 at 13:03 -0400, Al Dunsmuir wrote:
>
>> The # is an invented character that originated at AT&T for touch tone
>> dialing.  The  official name is "octothorpe" - Greek for "8 points"...
>> but no one ever calls it that.

No, it existed long before touch tone phones.

> I know =)
>
>> I think it got called "pound sign" because it was placed on keyboards
>> where typewriters used to place the British Pound Sterling symbol.

Older publications and invoices actually did use the "#" as "pound" in
the States (for weight measurements, not currency).  It's also often
used for "count" on tally sheets.  I've seen it on typewriters made
back in the 1920s, LONG before AT&T existed.  They used it because it
was familiar to many people in the States.  They certainly didn't
"invent" it.

> See my post - it's only called 'pound sign' in the States. British
> people never call it that. Don't know what it's called in other
> countries.

Jeeze, looks like I started something evil here!  But I DO so love to
roil the normally placid waters of certain lists (he says with a
sinister cackle!)
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