# Does anybody use the ¢ symbol these days? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551 "2004-12-07T15:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/21 "2004-12-08T06:10:41Z")
I’d like another Tab key. Somewhere over near the numeric keypad would be handy. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/22 "2004-12-08T12:20:13Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > The cents also disappeared around the same time that ½ and ¼ disappeared from the keyboard and we went back to 1/2 and 1/4. > > Those are ALT+189 and ALT+188 Now hang on. I said ALT+189 is ¢. You say it’s ½. And **WhyNot** gets this: ╜ Why do we all get different things with these Alt codes? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/23 "2004-12-08T13:16:22Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Has anyone ever used this one:\*\* `\*\* ? (Underneath the ~) > > I mean, I suppose if you’re typing a quote within dialogue, you ought to use it, but everyone seems to use ’ on both sides instead. Please don’t do that. Really. As a typesetter it sets my teeth on edge. A grave accent (`) is NOT the same as a left single quote mark (‘). In some fonts it may look similar, but it’s an entirely different character, and the angle and kerning are different. Look: `Quote’ ‘Quote’ (Geez I hope that looks the same to you as it does to me, or I’m going to look really stupid) Using the straight apostrophe on both sides is correct unless you’re going to go to the trouble of using genuine “curly” quote marks. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/24 "2004-12-08T13:49:21Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Please don’t do that. Really. As a typesetter it sets my teeth on edge. A grave accent (`) is NOT the same as a left single quote mark (‘). In some fonts it may look similar, but it’s an entirely different character, and the angle and kerning are different. Look: > > `Quote’ > ‘Quote’ > > (Geez I hope that looks the same to you as it does to me, or I’m going to look really stupid) > > Using the straight apostrophe on both sides is correct unless you’re going to go to the trouble of using genuine “curly” quote marks. I am going to completely confuse people by posting right after you, WotNot? I’m not talking to myself, folks! But I don’t think I’ve run into you before, so “Hi!” Thanks for the clarification. I don’t use it, and never have. I was afraid, however, that some pedant would point that out as a possible use, and since it, once upon a time, was a use, I decided to avoid that trap by mentioning it myself. Used in progamming code? I got nothin’ for that. By all means, let’s start a lobby for an extra shift key so we can get another 47 characters on the keyboard. And I’m all for a Tab key by the numeric pad. What say we move that damn Number Lock\* key out of the way (let it share the Shift Lock key or something) and put a Tab key there? \*Why is there a Number Lock key? If I want to use arrows, I have four perfectly good arrow keys hanging out in the Keyboard Gulf just to the left of the number pad. All the Number Lock key does is get hit unknowingly and by accident, causing chaos and confusion when I’m trying to fill in an on-line order form! ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/25 "2004-12-08T14:39:40Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > By all means, let’s start a lobby for an extra shift key so we can get another 47 characters on the keyboard. We have three characters on many keys. AltGr, the right Alt key, is used for: \< | - ~ 2 ² 3 ³ 7 { 8 [ 9 ] 0 } e € q @ m µ ß It’s Ok for rare symbols, but relatively annoying for things you need regularly. > [@](#): > > \*Why is there a Number Lock key? If I want to use arrows, I have four perfectly good arrow keys hanging out in the Keyboard Gulf just to the left of the number pad. IBM “AT” and earlier keyboards didn’t have a dedicated block of arrows, you had to use the number pad for both. The “Extended” keyboard that is most common now wasn’t inroduced until 1986, and it has remained compatible with the old solution. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/26 "2004-12-08T14:48:24Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I am going to completely confuse people by posting right after you, WotNot? I’m not talking to myself, folks! But I don’t think I’ve run into you before, so “Hi!” “Hi” right back. > [@WhyNot](#): > > By all means, let’s start a lobby for an extra shift key so we can get another 47 characters on the keyboard. Get a Mac, sunshine. We got plain characters, we got shift characters, we got alt characters, we even got alt+shift characters. Look: Key: a Shift: A alt: å alt+shift:Å Whee! Incidentally, “¢” is alt+4. Easy as anything. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/27 "2004-12-08T19:18:04Z")
My 2¢: Alt-0176 is also worth knowing, so you can tell people it’s 65° out. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/28 "2004-12-08T19:25:43Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Get a Mac, sunshine. We got plain characters, we got shift characters, we got alt characters, we even got alt+shift characters. I’ll call the option key “alt” when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/29 "2004-12-08T19:26:09Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > \*Why is there a Number Lock key? If I want to use arrows, I have four perfectly good arrow keys hanging out in the Keyboard Gulf just to the left of the number pad. All the Number Lock key does is get hit unknowingly and by accident, causing chaos and confusion when I’m trying to fill in an on-line order form! I am so with you on this one. I love my number keypad, and it drives me crazy when I hit that button. At the very least, it should be up by the scroll lock key. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/30 "2004-12-08T20:11:25Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > I’ll call the option key “alt” when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. Yeah, well, I just got sick of the young’ns being all like: 😕 “But I haven’t _got_ an option key!” and I’m like :smack: and :rolleyes: So… yeah, I’m with you but… y’know… Let’s face it – we’re _old._ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/31 "2004-12-08T21:21:04Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Yeah, well, I just got sick of the young’ns being all like: 😕 “But I haven’t _got_ an option key!” and I’m like :smack: and :rolleyes: > > So… yeah, I’m with you but… y’know… > > Let’s face it – we’re _old._ What’s an option key? :d&r: ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/32 "2004-12-08T23:16:50Z")
Is there an alt code for the infinity symbol? It’s not something I’d use _very_ often but there have been occasions when I’ve wanted to. I’ve never been able to find one. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/33 "2004-12-09T02:42:24Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > “But I haven’t _got_ an option key!” and I’m like :smack: and :rolleyes: They got _rid_ of the option key?! The terrorists have already won. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/34 "2004-12-09T15:32:28Z")
Reallyreally dumb question. How do you do the alt number thing to get the symbols? Hold down alt while typing the numbers? Do you have to put the plus sign in? I’m very excited about finding the cents symbol and need to start using it. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/35 "2004-12-10T23:41:27Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Reallyreally dumb question. How do you do the alt number thing to get the symbols? Hold down alt while typing the numbers? Do you have to put the plus sign in? I’m very excited about finding the cents symbol and need to start using it. No plus. Hold alt down while you type the numbers sequentially on your numeric keypad. Then let alt go, and _poof_ it appears. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/36 "2004-12-10T23:47:06Z")
Re: ALT/OPTION codes: Doesn’t what character you get depend on what character set you are running? //Me want Unicode to be standard, please. ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551/37 "2004-12-11T01:04:45Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > We’ve got IBM and programmers to thank for the disappearing cents symbol. > > It used to be on a typewriter’s 6 key, but on computers, it’s a caret, which appareantly has more uses in programming than a symbol for pennies. Kind of a shame - they were able to find a use for the dollar sign, so why not the cents? If a dollar sign is variable all the time, then a cent sign would be variable some of the time? I do find the ` quite handy when I`m on a non-english keyboard and I can`t find the ’ symbol anywhere. Also prevents a particularly annoying program I have to work with from making smart quotes when I don’t wanna! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-use-the-symbol-these-days/278551.md?page=1)