Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!vortex!lauren
From: lauren@vortex.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: "#"
Message-ID: <64@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Jun-83 18:20:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.64
Posted: Sat Jun 25 18:20:01 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jun-83 02:25:57 EDT
Lines: 17

Gee whiz.  At least when discussing the symbols on the telephone
"dial", I've always called "#" by the name "diamond" and "*" by
the name "star".  I've come across quite a number of Bell System
people who still do the same.  The reason dates back to some of the
early touch-tone telephones (and the current generations of military
AUTOVON telephone sets) which actually had/have a five-pointed star
on the left-hand button of the bottom row, and a 4-sided diamond
on the right-hand button of that row, instead of the more
"conventional" symbols.

--Lauren--

P.S.  Of course, AUTOVON phones also have the fourth column
of red buttons, marked FO (Flash Override), F (Flash),
I (Interrupt), and P (Priority).

--LW--