Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!we13!otuxa!tty3b!tag From: tag@tty3b.UUCP Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Re: What is the # called? - (nf) Message-ID: <128@tty3b.UUCP> Date: Thu, 16-Jun-83 11:40:37 EDT Article-I.D.: tty3b.128 Posted: Thu Jun 16 11:40:37 1983 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jun-83 15:35:46 EDT Lines: 15 I have a clipping from the Teletype News several years back which reads IT'S AN "OCTOTHORP" The button on the lower right-hand side of the newer varieties of Touch-Tone(r) telephones finally has a name. Bell Lab Scientists dubbed it "octothorp" after the eight points at the ends of the symbol. Looking something like a tic-tac-toe board, it actually is the symbol for "number" but until recently had no name. Now all twelve Touch-Tone keys have names: 0 through 9, asterisk, and the new word added to the language - "octothorp." I have been using the name "octothorp" ever since, and almost always have to explain what I mean, even to Bell Labs people. - Tom Gloger, Teletype Corporation, (we13|ihnp4)!otuxa!tty3b!tag