Talk:Backslash
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Before computers, there was only the backslash "/". This was commonly used in math formulas to represent division. It is called a backslash because it is usually made with a back motion, starting at its top and pulled down and back. Occasionally it was simply called a slash.
Along comes computers and DOS. Needing another character, Microsoft invented the forward slash "\", for help in defining pathnames. This is made by starting at the top and pushing down and forward to complete the character. It is amazing to see how the English language has changed itself to switch the naming of this symbol.
- I'm sorry, but that sounds completely false.193.167.132.66 10:53, 15 Feb 2005 (UTC)
- Can you (or anyone) provide a source for this information? —Frungi 23:12, 29 August 2005 (UTC)
- I've heard this explanation before, and my problem with it is this: while most people probably write the characters in this manner, not necessarily everyone does. But more importantly, English is read from left to right, thus a slash which leans to the right is seen as falling forward, just as italic type appears to be pushing ahead by leaning to the right. --Birdhombre 16:21, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
The Backslash is "Alt + ???" ? --201.11.244.47 05:07, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)
- Alt? No, it’s the key above Enter. —Frungi 23:09, 29 August 2005 (UTC)
Added comment: Sorry, but you have it backwards! Please see <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backslash>
[/] is a (forward) slash, also called a solidus, fraction bar, or virgule. I'd say any good dictionary would confirm that. BBC World Service announcers always call it a forward slash. [\] is a backslash, also called a reverse solidus. (Try the Unicode book; it's online.) Your explanations for why you named them that way are clever, but those are not the reasons. Just about positive that the late Bob Bemer, of IBM, invented the backslash, years before Microsoft. IIrc, he also invented the Esc key. Try Googling (or this Wikipedia!)for his name. (I spelled it correctly.) -- nb
The character must have been used before this, because it was on the programmer's keyboards! So, what was this character used for before then??? -- winjer
How annoying is it when they say "h t t p colon backslash backslash website dot com backslash index dot html" on TV. I've heard it on no less than 5 occasions, I'm happy to see I'm correct, it's a slash, damnit! --WAZAAAA 23:18, 26 February 2006 (UTC)
