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

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

You can also run CharMap : Start > Run > CharMap

° 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.

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

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:

°±°±

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

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. 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

Not trying to be right, just presenting an alternate PoV

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?

Got an HX and a DB. No warfare.

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 :

PCs suck
most web designers shouldn't