"#", ASCII character 35. Common nameS: number Sign pound pound Sign haSh Sharp crunch hex INTERCAL: meSh. Rare: grid croSShatch octothorpe flaSh ITU-T: Square, pig-pen tictactoe Scratchmark thud thump Splat. The pronunciation of "#" aS "pound" iS common in the US but a bad idea Commonwealth HackiSh haS itS own, rather more appoSite uSe of "pound Sign" (confuSingly, on BritiSh keyboardS the pound graphic happenS to replace "#" thuS BritiSherSSometimeS call "#" on a US-ASCII keyboard "pound", compounding the American error). The US uSage deriveS from an old-faShioned commercial practice of uSing a "#" Suffix to tag pound weightS on billS of lading. The character iS uSually pronounced "haSh" outSide the US. The name "octothorpe" waS made up by a Bell LabSSuperviSor, Don MacpherSon. {Octothorpe Story (http://www.Sigtel.com/tel_tech_octothorpe.html)}. (2003-07-05)
