3 ms·

> We answer any question in 42 minutes flat, for $ 4,20. The most confusing pricing I’ve ever seen. Is it $420 (outrageous and thousand separator placed wrong)

by oefrha 7y ago

> We answer any question in 42 minutes flat, for $ 4,20. The most confusing pricing I’ve ever seen. Is it $420 (outrageous and thousand separator placed wrong)? Or is it $4.20 with the comma as decimal separator as seen in some non-English-speaking European countries (but why would you use that convention with USD)?

mosselman 7y ago
You could ask them...
- bunya017 7y ago
  and pay $4.20 :D
  - jonathanstrange 7y ago
    Or $420. Risky. Just kidding, it's USD 4.20.
- judlaw 7y ago
  Hi guys, the culprit founder here. Indeed 4,20 => 4.20 Apologies for the snafu, been corrected now :)
denzil_correa 7y ago
> Or is it $4.20 with the comma as decimal separator as seen in some non-English-speaking European counties Most likely this considering it is a French website. https://ankuj3.wixsite.com/website-5/cgu https://ankuj3.wixsite.com/website-5/cgu
personjerry 7y ago
$4.20. Because sometimes Europeans start companies in the US.
- oefrha 7y ago
  And when they charge USD they should learn to correctly format USD-denominated amounts...
  - personjerry 7y ago
    If you haven't encountered the other system, you might expect it to be consistent everywhere. Or otherwise you might expect most people to understand either version. I don't think it's a big deal.
  - gbil 7y ago
    You have a point but is there any currency notation in which 4,20 can be equal to 420 - thus omitting the "," ? When for example I see 4.20, as a European I assume "." is the decimal separator and not a mistake thus the number 420
    - oefrha 7y ago
      If I have never seen a European decimal comma I would certainly be very confused -- most people aren't familiar with foreign currency notations and a hundred separator assuming that's a thing (most people aren't equipped to answer the question of whether it's a thing, me included) would be as foreign as a decimal comma if not less when you're familiar with comma as a thousand separator. (I was confused for a second anyway but tipped off by the outrageousness of $420.) Edit: Since this is Hacker News, let's talk about programming languages. 4_20 is the same as 420 in Python (3.7+) but not 4.20; 4'20 is the same as 420 in C++ (14+) but not 4.20.
Luc 7y ago
Sounds like you were never really in doubt of the answer...
bloak 7y ago
In Britain it's normal to separate pounds from pence with a comma, at least in handwriting. In handwriting people also use a dash. A dot just isn't visible enough. If you do use a dot then it should be a proper decimal point (£1·50), not a full stop. Typewriters are the work of the devil. EDIT: It looks like I'm wrong about the comma used to separate pounds from pence: that's not normal in Britain. (What about '='? I think I've seen that in handwriting, but I can't say for sure in which country.)
- jmkni 7y ago
  > In Britain it's normal to separate pounds from pence with a comma I've never seen that.
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Never seen a comma used in Britain, during my almost sixty years as a native. It's usually £1.50 (and yes, a central dot not a period unless typed), occasionally £1-50 which is most commonly seen on shop and handwritten market signs. Pre decimal was almost always a '-' when there are pounds, a / (more like a super long apostrophe) when under 240p. So £5-2-6 for £5, 2 shillings and sixpence, 7/6 for seven and sixpence. Less common was £5 6s 2d, or slashes £2/19/2 3⁄4d, but there were a lot of conventions for written Lsd, with nary a comma among 'em. :) Edit: to your edit, = was common (seems much less so now) for whole pounds, and in the pre-decimal era too, e.g. £1/==, or simply £1==. Also pre decimal whole shillings: 5/=, sometimes 5/-. In the days we still wrote cheques when it was for whole pounds it was common to fill the remainder of the figures box with two lines, essentially =====, after the £250 or whatever numerals.
- celticninja 7y ago
  Ummm, £1.50 is how almost everyone would type it or write it. Commas as decimal separators is most commonly used in mainland Europe I think.
scbrg 7y ago
Not that it matters much, but decimal comma is somewhat more widespread than "some non-English speaking European countries": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator#/media/File:DecimalSeparator.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator#/media/File:...

by oefrha 7y ago

mosselman 7y ago

You could ask them...

bunya017 7y ago
and pay $4.20 :D
- jonathanstrange 7y ago
  Or $420. Risky. Just kidding, it's USD 4.20.
judlaw 7y ago
Hi guys, the culprit founder here. Indeed 4,20 => 4.20 Apologies for the snafu, been corrected now :)

denzil_correa 7y ago

> Or is it $4.20 with the comma as decimal separator as seen in some non-English-speaking European counties Most likely this considering it is a French website. https://ankuj3.wixsite.com/website-5/cgu https://ankuj3.wixsite.com/website-5/cgu

personjerry 7y ago

$4.20. Because sometimes Europeans start companies in the US.

oefrha 7y ago
And when they charge USD they should learn to correctly format USD-denominated amounts...
- personjerry 7y ago
  If you haven't encountered the other system, you might expect it to be consistent everywhere. Or otherwise you might expect most people to understand either version. I don't think it's a big deal.
- gbil 7y ago
  You have a point but is there any currency notation in which 4,20 can be equal to 420 - thus omitting the "," ? When for example I see 4.20, as a European I assume "." is the decimal separator and not a mistake thus the number 420
  - oefrha 7y ago
    If I have never seen a European decimal comma I would certainly be very confused -- most people aren't familiar with foreign currency notations and a hundred separator assuming that's a thing (most people aren't equipped to answer the question of whether it's a thing, me included) would be as foreign as a decimal comma if not less when you're familiar with comma as a thousand separator. (I was confused for a second anyway but tipped off by the outrageousness of $420.) Edit: Since this is Hacker News, let's talk about programming languages. 4_20 is the same as 420 in Python (3.7+) but not 4.20; 4'20 is the same as 420 in C++ (14+) but not 4.20.

Luc 7y ago

Sounds like you were never really in doubt of the answer...

bloak 7y ago

In Britain it's normal to separate pounds from pence with a comma, at least in handwriting. In handwriting people also use a dash. A dot just isn't visible enough. If you do use a dot then it should be a proper decimal point (£1·50), not a full stop. Typewriters are the work of the devil. EDIT: It looks like I'm wrong about the comma used to separate pounds from pence: that's not normal in Britain. (What about '='? I think I've seen that in handwriting, but I can't say for sure in which country.)

jmkni 7y ago
> In Britain it's normal to separate pounds from pence with a comma I've never seen that.
NeedMoreTea 7y ago
Never seen a comma used in Britain, during my almost sixty years as a native. It's usually £1.50 (and yes, a central dot not a period unless typed), occasionally £1-50 which is most commonly seen on shop and handwritten market signs. Pre decimal was almost always a '-' when there are pounds, a / (more like a super long apostrophe) when under 240p. So £5-2-6 for £5, 2 shillings and sixpence, 7/6 for seven and sixpence. Less common was £5 6s 2d, or slashes £2/19/2 3⁄4d, but there were a lot of conventions for written Lsd, with nary a comma among 'em. :) Edit: to your edit, = was common (seems much less so now) for whole pounds, and in the pre-decimal era too, e.g. £1/==, or simply £1==. Also pre decimal whole shillings: 5/=, sometimes 5/-. In the days we still wrote cheques when it was for whole pounds it was common to fill the remainder of the figures box with two lines, essentially =====, after the £250 or whatever numerals.
celticninja 7y ago
Ummm, £1.50 is how almost everyone would type it or write it. Commas as decimal separators is most commonly used in mainland Europe I think.

scbrg 7y ago

Not that it matters much, but decimal comma is somewhat more widespread than "some non-English speaking European countries": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator#/media/File:DecimalSeparator.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator#/media/File:...