Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!killer!netsys!vector!nobody From: minow%thundr.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (Repent! Godot is coming soon! Repent!) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: re: Octothorpe source Message-ID:Date: 28 Nov 88 14:17:00 GMT Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Lines: 10 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 8, issue 187, message 2 According to legend, "octothorpe" is a name that the Bell people made up for the # on the telephone keypad. I suspect that they couldn't agree as to whether it was a "pound sign", "sharp", or "number sign" and eventually compromised (making everyone equally miserable). Martin Minow minow%thundr.dec@decwrl.dec.com [Moderator's question: I am wondering if our correspondent is related to Newton Minow, well known FCC executive. Just curious. P. Townson]