# soupçon **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 27, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806 "2014-06-27T19:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/1 "2014-06-27T19:20:32Z")
Just a soupçon of thread testing. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/2 "2014-06-27T19:52:51Z")
Soup Can. So there. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/3 "2014-06-27T20:01:19Z")
I attended SoupCon one year. Nobody told me it was Bring Your Own Crackers. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/4 "2014-06-27T20:05:10Z")
Mrs Grass gave the keynote the year i went. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/5 "2014-06-27T21:43:35Z")
I think of myself as essentially souppro. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/6 "2014-06-27T22:04:38Z")
It’s important to help rehabilitate ex-soupcons. Otherwise, they could get very big. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/7 "2014-06-27T22:09:37Z")
Soupçon? No, sorry; soup’s off. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/8 "2014-06-27T22:22:25Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > It’s important to help rehabilitate ex-soupcons. > > Otherwise, they could get very big. You could put them to work in the soup kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/9 "2014-06-27T22:24:13Z")
It’s _soupçon_ not boîte de soupe. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/10 "2014-06-28T03:21:44Z")
Are you just experimenting with “special characters” like letters with special diacritics about them? If so, here’s this to get you going: ‽ ¿ ¡ ⸮ Ä á à â ä å ç È é è ê ë í î ï ı Ö ó ô ö ō ú ù û ü Ü ū ÿ ñ n̈ ø æ œ Я :Þ I have plenty more where those came from. My technique (which I’ve seen other Dopers suggest too): Create a text file on your computer, using Notepad or gedit or whatever editor you like. Collect all your favorite special characters there. You can keep it open in a separate window while you browse the Dope. To include special characters, just cut-and-paste from that window into your Dope edit window. Saves you the trouble of having to memorize, or look up, all the codes for the characters. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/11 "2014-06-28T13:23:06Z")
I’ll wait for the sequel - Soupçon II: The Boil Continues ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/12 "2014-06-28T13:50:32Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Are you just experimenting with “special characters” like letters with special diacritics about them? > > If so, here’s this to get you going: > > ‽ ¿ ¡ ⸮ Ä á à â ä å ç È é è ê ë í î ï ı Ö ó ô ö ō ú ù û ü Ü ū ÿ ñ n̈ ø æ œ Я :Þ > > I have plenty more where those came from. > Saves you the trouble of having to memorize, or look up, all the codes for the characters. Just a warning, then. ⸮ does not show up on my computer with only the Windows 7 and Office 2013 default fonts installed. So you may have to come up with something else to use for your backwards sentences, since most people don’t install extra fonts. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/13 "2014-06-28T15:05:59Z")
If it doesn’t show up for you, how did you know what it was? For what it’s worth, I see it fine, though I have no idea what I’d use it for. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/14 "2014-06-28T19:27:42Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Just a warning, then. ⸮ does not show up on my computer . . . Sounds plausible enough. I have a fair number of oddball glyphs the probably don’t show up. For those who can’t see it, ⸮ is a backwards (not upside-down) questions mark. Like **Chronos** says, I don’t envision what in the world I would use it for. I don’t have any backwards alphabet in my weird-character file, but I do have an entire upside-down alphabet. Who here can see these? z ʎ x ʍ ʌ n ʇ s ɹ b d o u ɯ l ʞ ɾ ᴉ ɥ ƃ ɟ ǝ p ɔ q ɐ Here are a few other selected goodies: “ ” ‘ ’ « » ⎖ — (em-dash) – (en-dash) ∆ ∫ ∈ ∉ ⊂ ⊆ ⊃ ⊇ ∪ ∩ ⇔ ◯ ⌀ ↓ ↑ ← → ∃ ∨ ∧ ¬ ⊣ ⊢ ⊨ ⊬ Ø ∠ ≅ ∇ - ＋ ± × ÷ ≠ ≈ ~ √ ⇌ 〈 〉 ≥ ∂ ¼ ½ ¾ 𝜋 ℵ ∞ ə ℓ ſ ƒ ϕ ™  ® © £ ¢ € … § † ‡ ‾ ¶ · • ● ■  ◆ ♦  ▼ □ ★ ☆ ✠ ° ♪ ♬ ♫ ✸ △ ◅ ▓ 。� ⚓ ☮   ~ | ‖ ¡ ¿ † ‡ ↔ ↑ ↓ ⇈  • ¶ ✔ # ∞ ‘ ’ “ ” «» ¤ ₳ ฿ ₵ ¢ ₡ ₢ $ ₫ ₯ € ₠ ₣ ƒ ₴ ₭ ₤ ℳ ₥ ₦ № ₧ ₰ £ ៛ ₨ ₪ ৳ ₮ ₩ ¥ ♠ ♣ ❤ ♦ ♭ ♯ ♮ © ® ™ ✓ ✔ ☑ ☐ Lots more at: [http://www.nouilles.info/keyboard\_shortcuts.html](http://www.nouilles.info/keyboard_shortcuts.html) More symbols at: [Symbol font – Unicode alternatives for Greek and special characters in HTML](http://www.alanwood.net/demos/symbol.html) And a collection of fancy smilies that **Patty O’Furniture** posted a while ago: WTF: (ಠ\_ಠ) Blank stare: (•_•) Angry: (ノಠ益ಠ) Middle finger: (ಠ\_ಠ)┌∩┐ (BBQ Pit only, of course) Smug: (‾⌣‾) Frustrated: ლ(ಠ益ಠლ) Whatever: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Confused: 【・ヘ・?】 Evil: ψ(｀∇´)ψ Shy/ashamed: (//･\_･//) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/15 "2014-06-28T20:43:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If it doesn’t show up for you, how did you know what it was? The way Firefox shows unused glyphs is to show a box with the Unicode number inside. So I just looked it up using Google. I also cannot see these glyphs:      , but I know they are [U+E024](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e024/index.htm), [U+E004](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e004/index.htm), [U+E002](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e002/index.htm), [U+E025](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e002/index.htm), [U+E01F](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e01f/index.htm), and [U+E02E](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e02e/index.htm). And, yes, **Senegoid** , those are all the glyphs I can’t see. And, since none of them are valid Unicode, don’t expect them to ever be universal. If those symbols are added, they’ll be given a different code. They appear to be part of the [ConScript Unicode Registry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ConScript_Unicode_Registry), which, as the name implies, is for constructed (aka fake) languages. Or they may be completely different on your computer, depending on what font they are from. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/16 "2014-06-29T03:20:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I also cannot see these glyphs:      , but I know they are [U+E024](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/e024/index.htm), . . . > > And, yes, **Senegoid** , those are all the glyphs I can’t see. And, since none of them are valid Unicode, . . . The first one of those somewhat concerns me, as it is the only one that I might actually care to use on occasion – It is the “Registered Trademark” symbol, a small capital R with a circle around it. Looking back on the stuff I posted, I see there are TWO of them – One of which, apparently, you see and one of which you don’t. Now I need to know out which one of them is the one that works! Here is the line they came from: ə ℓ ſ ƒ ϕ ™   © £ ¢ € First  symbol:  Second  symbol:  ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/17 "2014-06-29T03:28:27Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I also cannot see these glyphs:      , but . . . > > And, yes, **Senegoid** , those are all the glyphs I can’t see. . . . Help me out on the third one in that list too, please, **BigT**. It’s a medium sized diamond. This, too, appears twice in my file, on this line: … § † ‡ ‾ ¶ · • ● ■  ◆ ♦  ▼ □ ★ ☆ ✠ ° ♪ ♬ ♫ ✸ △ . . . First one: ♦ Second one:  It also appears along with the playing card suits: ♠ ♣ ❤ ♦ And I just noticed another Registered Trademark symbol: The first one in this group: ® ™ ✓ ✔ ☑ ☐ Do you see that one? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/18 "2014-07-02T11:23:19Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Help me out on the third one in that list too, please, **BigT**. It’s a medium sized diamond. This, too, appears twice in my file, on this line: > > … § † ‡ ‾ ¶ · • ● ■  ◆ ♦  ▼ □ ★ ☆ ✠ ° ♪ ♬ ♫ ✸ △ . . . > > First one: ♦ > > Second one:  > > It also appears along with the playing card suits: ♠ ♣ ❤ ♦ > > And I just noticed another Registered Trademark symbol: The first one in this group: > ® ™ ✓ ✔ ☑ ☐ > Do you see that one? The last ® is the only registered trademark symbol I can see. I cannot see your second diamond (), nor whatever  is, both of which I already linked above and shown are not a part of standard Unicode. They are in the special “private” section of Unicode for special characters that don’t fit. The other diamond is the exact same character. Both are [U+2666](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2666/index.htm). > [@](#): > > First  symbol:  > > Second  symbol:  These are all the exact same symbol, with the same code, and that symbol does not work. It is U+E024, which I already linked earlier, and is part of the private area. Again, only ® works properly. If you want to check your text file for other duplicates, you can try pasting your symbols in [the second text box here](http://rishida.net/tools/conversion/). Also, beware of any characters in the [Private Use Area](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Use_Areas), as they are almost certainly not universal. For quick reference if check any that begin with Also U+10 for six digit codes, U+E for 4 digits, or U+F for 4 and 5 digits. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soupcon/691806/19 "2014-07-02T18:10:57Z")
Thanks, **BigT**. I’ve updated my little grab-bag character file according to your remarks, deleting the ones you say don’t work.