From: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)
Subject: Re: the term "pound sign" (was: help: character to integer)
Date: 1996/10/11
Date: 1996-10-11T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <dewar.845037645@merv> (raw)
In-Reply-To: EACHUS.96Oct10204608@spectre.mitre.org
Robert Eachus says
" You can blame Ma Bell for the name octothorpe, but the symbol # for
pounds goes way back. I'm not sure if I could dig up a printed
reference before 1700, but I am certain I can find one that predates
the telegraph by at least a century. (Actually the Williams College
Library is a great place to look if you are still in Pownal, Robert.
Just ask for early arithmetic textbooks.)"
Can we please have such a reference, instead of declarations that you
are sure it exists. note that we still, surprisingly, do not have any
shred of evidence to support the claims that the symbol # for pound
goes way back. It sounds reasonable, but it would be nice if someone
could come up with one quote that would settle the issue.
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1996-10-11 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 27+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
1996-10-01 0:00 help: character to integer Eric Anthony Spear
1996-10-02 0:00 ` Dave Marshall
1996-10-02 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-10-02 0:00 ` George Haddad
1996-10-02 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-02 0:00 ` David C. Hoos, Sr.
1996-10-05 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-07 0:00 ` the term "pound sign" (was: help: character to integer) Adam Beneschan
1996-10-09 0:00 ` Michael Feldman
1996-10-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-09 0:00 ` Michael Feldman
1996-10-10 0:00 ` Richard Kenner
1996-10-10 0:00 ` Adam Beneschan
1996-10-11 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1996-10-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar [this message]
1996-10-07 0:00 ` help: character to integer Paul Tongue
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1996-10-15 0:00 the term "pound sign" (was: help: character to integer) W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1996-10-16 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-17 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1996-10-18 0:00 ` Andrew Lynch
1996-10-23 0:00 ` Richard A. O'Keefe
1996-10-27 0:00 ` @@ robin
1996-10-17 0:00 W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1996-10-18 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1996-10-18 0:00 ` Sandy McPherson
1996-10-17 0:00 John Walker
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