The context determines the orientation of the slash. When people talk URLs, I know which slash they mean. When they talk the Unix command I know as well. When the conversation turns to regular expressions then you have to get particular.
I love how some of the numbers on this poll changed from one refresh to another. People would pick an answer, see that they were out of step with the majority of other poll takers, and then go back and change their answer. I'm very amused right now. :)
Hehe... you have to warn in advance, because before reading that third question I just happened to look at the URL in my browser's address bar. I'm still pretty sure I'd select the right one. It doesn't bother me when people mix those up though.
I'm not asserting that "forward slash" is a technical term. But whenever you have a category of stuff where the category is named the same as one of the items in that category, there's a potential for confusion. "Forward" is a fine way of making that distinction, I think.
"What kind of slash do you mean?" "A slash" will not alleviate any confusion.
It would, if people used the term correctly. Because the folks who wouldn't know the difference between a slash and a backslash won't know the difference between a "forward" slash and a backslash.
And as the polls show, even when using the less confusing terminology, some people seem confused... ;)
"Dubya dubya dubya dot dubya-tee-eff dot com slash ess-tee-eff-yoo." "What kind of slash, though?" "Slash, you idiot, just slash - it's a URL. Where do you see a backslash outside of DOS?"
Thank you for specifying keyboard type. Fortunately, I remember that the backslash stays in the same place (still an awkward reach when I'm typing TeX), or I would have missed that question.
See, everybody I know says "http colon slash slash" rather than "http colon forward slash forward slash," so it's rather moot whether or not they can tell the difference.
The local radio station that I always listen to does a lot. "X-P-N dot O-R-G [never "org"] slash free at noon dot P-H-P" or whatever. And there's one guy who always says "backslash".
I want everything handed to me from smallest to largest. Coins first, then dollars, fives, tens, etc. No one ever does that though. They always place the coins on top of the dollars and then I have to either shift the coins immediately to my other hand or crinkle up the dollars to hold onto the coins for dear life or they'll slip off. Very annoying.
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I AM ASHAMED!!! *sob*
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That's my pet peeve, anyway. It drives me nuts when people give a URL and say "Forward-slash [whatever]".
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"What kind of slash do you mean?" "A slash" will not alleviate any confusion.
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And as the polls show, even when using the less confusing terminology, some people seem confused... ;)
"Dubya dubya dubya dot dubya-tee-eff dot com slash ess-tee-eff-yoo."
"What kind of slash, though?"
"Slash, you idiot, just slash - it's a URL. Where do you see a backslash outside of DOS?"
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I actually found it harder to visualise your "top left to bottom right" description than the ASCII characters.
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also, I can't remember the last time someone read out a url to me that was long enough to include a slash. (who says the http:// part out loud?)
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(scott)
(Anonymous) 2007-02-28 12:27 am (UTC)(link)What, on the typical US101 keyboard or one of my weirdo Dvorak-mapped ergo keyboards?
What's embarrassing is that I don't really know either, but I can type the required slash/backslash without thinking about it.
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I agree with commenter above that there are slash and backslash.
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you tricked me! i thought the backslash was above the enter key..
now i'm confused beyond all hope.
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Where does Desh come up with these crazy poll ideas?
I don't have poll answers yet, but I'm sure I'll think of a few interesting ones.
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I want everything handed to me from smallest to largest. Coins first, then dollars, fives, tens, etc. No one ever does that though. They always place the coins on top of the dollars and then I have to either shift the coins immediately to my other hand or crinkle up the dollars to hold onto the coins for dear life or they'll slip off. Very annoying.