Computing Dictionary
hash character definition
character "#",
ASCII character 35.
Common names: number sign; pound; pound sign; hash; sharp;
crunch; hex;
INTERCAL: mesh. Rare: grid; crosshatch; octothorpe; flash;
ITU-T: square, pig-pen; tictactoe; scratchmark; thud; thump;
splat.
The pronunciation of "#" as "pound" is common in the US but a bad idea;
Commonwealth Hackish has its own, rather more apposite use of "pound sign" (confusingly, on British keyboards the pound graphic happens to replace "#"; thus Britishers sometimes call "#" on a US-ASCII keyboard "pound", compounding the American error). The US usage derives from an old-fashioned commercial practice of using a "#" suffix to tag pound weights on bills of lading. The character is usually pronounced "hash" outside the US.
The name "octothorpe" was made up by a
Bell Labs supervisor, Don Macpherson.
Octothorpe story (http://sigtel.com/tel_tech_octothorpe.html).
(2003-07-05)
