[Taxacom] The 'X' factor

[Frederick W. Schueler]

Jim Croft wrote:
> yeah, yeah... we know the rools... but there is no multiplication
> thingy on the keyboard.

* and more importantly, the character that one computer program 
interprets as the "multiplication thingy" will be interpreted as a black 
blot or a musical instrument by another program.

fred.
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> 
> This 'rool' had its origin in the day when lead type was king and it
> was as much of a pain to set the multiplication thingy as it was to
> set an 'X'.
> 
> but the world has moved on, babies are issued with iThings at birth
> and if something is not on an ascii keyboard it just does not
> happen... no-one knows how to search on a multiplication thingy or
> even enter it.  Heck, even the act of multiplication itself is done
> with a '*'  :)
> 
> c'mon,.. admit it... we have all used the 'X', at least once, in our lives...
> 
> I have been watching this for years and have not seen a single example
> where using an 'X' as the hybrid tag, in a database or a printed page,
> is ambiguous. It just offends traditionalists. Shoot the lot of 'em!
> It is the is the information content and communication that is
> important
> 
> A tweak of the code would make everyone's lives a lot easier...
> 
> but hey, rools are for wimps... :)
> 
> jim
> 
> On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 3:10 AM,  <dipteryx at freeler.nl> wrote:
> 
>> It is extremely silly to use a "x" (small letter x)
>> where a "×" (multiplication sign) is prescribed.
> 


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          Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
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