[Elecraft] Sideband reversal

[Ron D' Eau Claire]

Rod, KI7ZI, wrote:

> Bell Labs decided to arrange the keypad the
> opposite of the adding machine so that users would enter the keystrokes
> more slowly.

That sounds so outrageous it MUST be true!

I remember in the 1960's when some early computer programmers (perhaps from
"big blue" because we had an IBM 360 system) decided to differentiate a zero
from the letter "O" by putting a solidus (/) through the letter "O"! Of
course, that was exactly the opposite of what the communications industry
had done for over half a century, putting the solidus through the zero. Not
only did it make for strange-looking documents (unless you were from
Scandinavia perhaps) it totally confused anyone who had worked in the radio
or telegraph communications industry.

Thankfully, those who were confused included some of our government
customers and the practice was soon reversed.

Whew!

Ron AC7AC