# Should zeroes be slashed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2019, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938 "2019-10-18T05:16:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yakamaniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@Yakamaniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yakamaniac)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/1 "2019-10-18T05:16:32Z")
Many people see a zero as an ‘O’, and use ‘O’ instead of zero when speaking a number. Computers distinguish between a zero and an ‘O’, and confusion can result when dealing with incorrect input. The best way I have seen to differentiate between a zero and an ‘O’ is to put a diagonal slash through the zero. Should this become the standard? Alphanumeric strings are becoming much more common, and telling a zero from an ‘O’ in some fonts is almost impossible. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/2 "2019-10-18T06:04:24Z")
I tend to slash my zeroes and also my sevens in the interest of maximum clarity and precision. I for one would prefer the slashed zero to be standard in all fonts, that would make all our lives easier. That being said, I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a vanity plate with O00OO0O or something like. I’ve thought about it. Good luck phoning THAT one into 911! **snerk** ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/3 "2019-10-18T06:20:18Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > That being said, I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a vanity plate with O00OO0O or something like. I’ve thought about it. Good luck phoning THAT one into 911! **snerk** The non-vanity plates in my state do not have the letter O; the sequence skips from N to P. So anyone trying to get a mixture of 0s and Os on a vanity plate is going to get all 0s. I suspect this will be the case for most, if not all, states. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/4 "2019-10-18T06:22:01Z")
There’s no dedicated key on computer keyboards for ø. You have to use a software trick like using “insert symbol” or “alt” + numpad. In fact, on my phone, it looks more like a Scandinavian “o” than a proper slashed 0. Having said that, Slash makes everything better when he arrives. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/5 "2019-10-18T06:52:31Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > There’s no dedicated key on computer keyboards for ø. You have to use a software trick like using “insert symbol” or “alt” + numpad. In fact, on my phone, it looks more like a Scandinavian “o” than a proper slashed 0. > > Having said that, Slash makes everything better when he arrives. 😃 The OP‘s point is about using a slashed glyph for of the code point for 0, not for explicitly encoding 0̸ which would mess up all existing applications reading in numbers. It would be implemented by using fonts that use a slashed zero glyph. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/6 "2019-10-18T08:11:13Z")
The alternative is to have all the alpha characters in lower case abc0oz ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/7 "2019-10-18T09:17:22Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > There’s no dedicated key on computer keyboards for ø. You have to use a software trick like using “insert symbol” or “alt” + numpad. In fact, on my phone, it looks more like a Scandinavian “o” than a proper slashed 0. > > Having said that, Slash makes everything better when he arrives. 😃 That depends on the keyboard, and not even on the physical keyboard but on the virtual layout (the software which interprets the keys). Yours doesn’t have a key for ñ, mine does. Yours doesn’t have a key for Ø (which in fact is not a zero, it’s as you say a variant of the letter o), but [the Danish](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keyboard_Layout_Danish.png) and [Norwegian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Keyboard_Layout_Norwegian.png) layouts do, because those two languages use that letter (Swedish and Icelandic don’t). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/8 "2019-10-18T09:27:37Z")
[New Zealand license plates](http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/jpglps/PA_NZEA_SI.jpg) have slash zeroes. I assume some other countries do too. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/9 "2019-10-18T10:15:05Z")
I’ve seen amateur radio plates with a slashed zero. Capital I s should have the serif to distinguish them from a lowercase L Brian ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/10 "2019-10-18T10:15:54Z")
Doesn’t Norway use the slash on O instead of Zero? I think we’d need a broader consensus. My keyboard slashes the letter but not the number. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/11 "2019-10-18T10:20:19Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > The alternative is to have all the alpha characters in lower case abc0oz That eliminates a large group of characters (capital letters) from use in alphanumeric strings. Current standards for password security require a mix of characters from different groups, and one of those groups is capital letters. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/12 "2019-10-18T10:37:38Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > That eliminates a large group of characters (capital letters) from use in alphanumeric strings. Current standards for password security require a mix of characters from different groups, and one of those groups is capital letters. No problem so long as you avoid ‘O’ aBc10lLa ---
**Author:** ![Spyrith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Spyrith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spyrith)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/13 "2019-10-18T11:02:21Z")
This means zeroes would like the slashed O’s in scandinavian languages, which I like. Honestly, I’m for it. I’ve seen that on some models of calculators the 0 is indeed slashed, so it’s not like it’s an unpopular idea. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/14 "2019-10-18T11:22:59Z")
[Iowa](https://www.licenseplates.cc/IA) has been doing slashed zeroes lately on their plates. And even further back on their ham radio plates. [Germany](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Deutsches_Kfz-Kennzeichen_f%C3%BCr_Beh%C3%B6rdenfahrzeuge_(Nummernbereich_3).jpg) has squared off zeroes with an “implied” slash. To me, a circle with a slash is either the empty set or a Nordic vowel. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/15 "2019-10-18T11:25:12Z")
A slashed zero looks like the international symbol for zeroes not allowed. But I do it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/16 "2019-10-18T12:22:20Z")
I point my “1” and slash my “7” in the European manner. I do not slash my zeroes. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/17 "2019-10-18T12:56:11Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I tend to slash my zeroes and also my sevens in the interest of maximum clarity and precision. I for one would prefer the slashed zero to be standard in all fonts, that would make all our lives easier. That being said, I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a vanity plate with O00OO0O or something like. I’ve thought about it. Good luck phoning THAT one into 911! **snerk** Yeah, here’s how that plan would work out. > **[License Plate](https://xkcd.com/1105/)** > > The next day: 'What? Six bank robberies!? But I just vandalized the library!' 'Nice try. They saw your plate with all the 1's and I's.' 'That's impossible! I've been with my car the whole ti-- ... wait. Ok, wow, that was clever of her.' ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/18 "2019-10-18T13:22:40Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I point my “1” and slash my “7” in the European manner. I do not slash my zeroes. I do slash my “z” and curl the tail of my lower case “t”. I picked up those habits from math. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/19 "2019-10-18T13:41:31Z")
Math teacher here. My answer is NO! 0 is the number zero. ø is the empty set. These are two different things, and are not interchangeable. Fortunately, it’s pretty rare that I get a student who uses slashed zeros, where I have to break them of that habit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938/20 "2019-10-18T13:45:01Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > I tend to slash my zeroes and also my sevens in the interest of maximum clarity and precision. I for one would prefer the slashed zero to be standard in all fonts, that would make all our lives easier. That being said, I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a vanity plate with O00OO0O or something like. I’ve thought about it. Good luck phoning THAT one into 911! **snerk** > [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I point my “1” and slash my “7” in the European manner. I do not slash my zeroes. I don’t get it. What would people mistake your 7s for if you don’t slash them? 1s? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-zeroes-be-slashed/841938.md?page=2)