Pound sign (was Re: the Telephone Test)

[Tim_CDC_Roberts at cup.portal.com]

In <147 at ixi.UUCP>, From: clive at ixi.UUCP (Clive)
>In article <630 at marob.MASA.COM> daveh at marob.masa.com (Dave Hammond) writes:
>>Another person writes:
>>>but always, at the top of my routines, I:
>>>     pound include studio-h (dancers might include studio-54 :->)
...
> ... a "number" sign or a "hash" sign...is NOT repeat NOT a pound sign.
> A pound sign is what appears on a five pound note...

I believe you are mildly mistaken, Clive.  Referring to the musical sharp
symbol as "pound sign" has the same early commercial roots as referring to
the circled-A (@) as "at sign".  Your early grocers would write up:

    5# apples @ 9c  ....   $0.45

which is read "5 pounds apples at 9 cents...45 cents."  Thus, "pound" refers 
to "pounds avoirdupois" rather than "pounds sterling".

This usage has fallen into disuse, because today's cash registers ring up:

    5.03 lbs    @   0.98 / lb
    Red Delicious ..............     4.92

Tim_CDC_Roberts at cup.portal.com                | Control Data...
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