° and ± for Dummies

by **cafeIKE** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:23 pm

Windows Users :

To enter ° [ Degree Mark ] : Hold down the ALT key and type 0176 on the NUMERIC KEYPAD

To enter ± [ Plus/Minus Mark ] : Hold down the ALT key and type 0177 on the NUMERIC KEYPAD

by **triptogenetica** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:37 pm

thanks ian! I usually ctrl-c ctrl-v those symbols from someone else - but that's no good if i'm first!

by **cafeIKE** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:53 pm

You can also run CharMap : Start > Run > CharMap

by **shadowfax** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:27 pm

° and ± for Mac Users:

To enter ° [degree mark], press option - k.

To enter ± [plus/minus mark], press option - shift - =.

More fun ones:

to enter ≠ [not equal mark], press option - =.

You can read about a LOT more here; one of the great typographical advantages of Mac OS X is that many of the most commonly used unicode characters, especially math characters as above and accented characters (e.g., ü, å, é, ø, ê, etc.) are easy and memorable to enter, as compared with, say, entering alt and an arbitrary numeric sequence.

Of course, character maps are the easiest way to enter any unicode character, so it's useful to know that you open system preferences, click the "International" pane, and then the "Input Menu" tab. On the bottom of the window is the "show input menu in menu bar." You select this, and then you can activate it from the flag icon in the menubar at any time. If you want an easier way, in almost all applications that let you enter text, you can hit option - command - t, or click Edit -> Special Characters... to load the input menu.

by **GVDub** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:38 pm

On the Mac I've always used shift-option-8 for °.

by **shadowfax** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:50 pm

Interesting. I hadn't seen that one before. It looks like a different character, i.e.

201°F for shift-option-8, and
201°F for option-k.

I am not sure which one is supposed to be degrees, and I am really not sure what, then, the other one would represent.

EDIT: I guess I look like an idiot, as upon posting they appear the same in my post. that said, they are not when in other text editors; here's a screenshot:

by **sweaner** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 4:21 pm

°±°±

It works!! Now if I can actually remember that I will be in good shape.

by **cafeIKE** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:18 pm

shadowfax wrote:one of the great typographical advantages of Mac OS X is that many of the most commonly used unicode characters, especially math characters as above and accented characters (e.g., ü, å, é, ø, ê, etc.) are easy and memorable to enter, as compared with, say, entering alt and an arbitrary numeric sequence.

Only if you're numerically challenged. :roll:

In which case you shouldn't be using a computer. O yeah, you're not. You're using a Mac.

If you process like a CPU, numbers are no problem. One disadvantage of key combinations for those that remap the keyboard is it can create holes in the available characters. No such problem with Alt :wink:

Not trying to be right, just presenting an alternate PoV

by **GVDub** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:21 pm

Well, whichever, it's a far cry from my days in high school writing APL code on a converted Selectric terminal where we had to switch typeballs to go from programming to output.

The operating system and computer that lets you do what you need to do without getting in your way is the right one for the job, and that will vary from individual to individual and task to task. Don't we have enough religious warfare between tamp and no-tamp sects or HX vs. Double Boiler already?

by **cafeIKE** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:02 pm

Got an HX and a DB. No warfare. :wink:

Tried a Mac in 1984. Wanted to throw it in the pool. Every time I get suckered into helping a Maccie, I vow never again. At least with OS X grep, ls, ifconfig, etc. are available.

Perhaps we can agree :

by **Psyd** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:08 pm

GVDub wrote:Don't we have enough religious warfare between tamp and no-tamp sects or HX vs. Double Boiler already?

It's kinda like the 'Squints vs Skweeks' war. It really isn't one, but it gives us a good reason to start up a conversation 'til we hit a shared topic we want to talk about.
I'm a PC user just because I'm a technician, and grew up with Commodore 64's. After hearing every Mac user tell me that I'd love it if I converted, I got a Powerbook Pismo, and did things to it that scared most Mac heroes. I understand how the Mac is supposed to work, I just can't make it do it. There are two different kinds of computers for a reason.
There are 10 different kinds of of computer users. Those that understand binary, and those that don't.

by **GVDub** on Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:28 pm

Like I said, I started out on mainframes. I've used just about everything since then, and currently have three different operating systems running on my laptop. I'm pretty platform agnostic. I just figure that they're tools. You don't use a Torx where you got a metric nut to tighten - why should computers be any different.

You kids today, you've got it easy. Why, when I was a boy, we didn't have zeroes. I once had to code an entire operating system using only '1's

by **orphanespresso** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:10 am

Thanks for the info!

Back in the day....floor sorti the deck. Yes, I did...and he deserved it!

by **AndyS** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:57 am

cafeIKE wrote:Windows Users :

To enter ° [ Degree Mark ] : Hold down the ALT key and type 0176 on the NUMERIC KEYPAD

Hi Ike:

I used to produce a degree symbol by the method you specify. But since I am an exceptionally dumb dummy, nowadays I just use an F or a C (eg, 212F = 100C).

Everyone seems to know what that means, unless they're just humoring me.

by **shadowfax** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:59 pm

I've always just humored you. Heck, I'm a Mac user, so it's easy for me to get to the ° symbol, and I still don't use it, just so you don't feel alone. :mrgreen:

by **AndyS** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:29 pm

shadowfax wrote:I've always just humored you. Heck, I'm a Mac user, so it's easy for me to get to the ° symbol, and I still don't use it, just so you don't feel alone.

I appreciate your support. ;-)

by **cafeIKE** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:39 pm

AndyS wrote:Hi Ike:

I used to produce a degree symbol by the method you specify. But since I am an exceptionally dumb dummy, nowadays I just use an F or a C (eg, 212F = 100C).

Everyone seems to know what that means, unless they're just humoring me.

212F != 100C. As one who reads HEX all day long, the missing ° throws an exception

In currency, 212F = 21,200c = € 32.319191654

snwlllvtthvwlstsvtm

by **JohnB.** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:55 pm

cafeIKE wrote:212F != 100C. As one who reads HEX all day long, the missing ° throws an exception

In currency, 212F = 21,200c = € 32.319191654

snwlllvtthvwlstsvtm

How do you get the Euro symbol?

by **Richard** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:05 pm

ALT 0128 = €

by **GVDub** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:07 pm

Richard wrote:ALT 0128 = €

€ is also shift-option-2 on Macs.


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