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Like a train switching tracks! I never noticed. So what does ⌘ represent?

bombcar 3y ago
Apparently it is "Command" but also the Swedish campground symbol? https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campground.txt https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campgrou...
- Findecanor 3y ago
  It is on Swedish road signs indicating a sight/attraction/monument, usually an ancient one. It is a stylised ribbon/snake pattern that resembles one that you could find on a rune stone. <https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/sevardhet/ https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/sevardhet/> A variation of the symbol is also the symbol for the National Heritage Board, which is in charge of protection of ancient monuments. The road sign for "Camp ground" has a stylised tent: <https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/campingplats/ https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/campingplats/>
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
meepmorp 3y ago
“Place of interest sign,” according to the Unicode spec. Also, command key and OS key as secondary meanings. https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2300.pdf https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2300.pdf
galangalalgol 3y ago
That you are using a mac? I ised to still call it the super or windows button, because my macbook ran linux. This whole article is mac centric, but it doesn't seem aware of that. Most keyboards don't have the switch symbol, most just say alt, and its where the mac has the command key.
- itishappy 3y ago
  > This whole article is mac centric, but it doesn't seem aware of that. I found it pretty clear from the title, site affiliation disclaimer, background image, section headers, language, and overall theme of the article. What's misleading you?
reaperducer 3y ago
So what does ⌘ represent? The revisionist history is that it's a Swedish map symbol repurposed. People who were there will tell you that it's called "double infinity" and was used because the regular infinity symbol lacked visual weight and it was thought might be too similar to other keys.
- mtlmtlmtlmtl 3y ago
  Interesting. Though I'm curious why infinity was even a consideration in the first place.
  - reaperducer 3y ago
    Interesting. Though I'm curious why infinity was even a consideration in the first place. That part I don't know. Maybe just because it's geeky, and the original Mac team was certainly that; even the ones involved in its physical design.
- _shantaram 3y ago
  Macintosh Folklore disagrees. That's literally as close to "people who were there" as one can get. https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campground.txt https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campgrou...
- SeanLuke 3y ago
  Susan Kare selected the symbol herself. I wouldn't exactly call her explanation "revisionist".
twic 3y ago
A propeller. On the early prototypes of the Mac, that key was used to fire the torpedoes.
thih9 3y ago
A castle. > Susan Kare states that she has since been told that the symbol was picked for its Scandinavian usage due to its resembling the shape of a square castle with round corner towers as seen from above looking down, notably Borgholm Castle. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_key#Origin_of_the_symbol https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_key#Origin_of_the_sy...

Apparently it is "Command" but also the Swedish campground symbol? https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campground.txt https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campgrou...

Findecanor 3y ago
It is on Swedish road signs indicating a sight/attraction/monument, usually an ancient one. It is a stylised ribbon/snake pattern that resembles one that you could find on a rune stone. <https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/sevardhet/ https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/sevardhet/> A variation of the symbol is also the symbol for the National Heritage Board, which is in charge of protection of ancient monuments. The road sign for "Camp ground" has a stylised tent: <https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/campingplats/ https://xn--vgmrken-5wac.se/tag/campingplats/>
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

meepmorp 3y ago

“Place of interest sign,” according to the Unicode spec. Also, command key and OS key as secondary meanings. https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2300.pdf https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2300.pdf

galangalalgol 3y ago

That you are using a mac? I ised to still call it the super or windows button, because my macbook ran linux. This whole article is mac centric, but it doesn't seem aware of that. Most keyboards don't have the switch symbol, most just say alt, and its where the mac has the command key.

itishappy 3y ago
> This whole article is mac centric, but it doesn't seem aware of that. I found it pretty clear from the title, site affiliation disclaimer, background image, section headers, language, and overall theme of the article. What's misleading you?

reaperducer 3y ago

So what does ⌘ represent? The revisionist history is that it's a Swedish map symbol repurposed. People who were there will tell you that it's called "double infinity" and was used because the regular infinity symbol lacked visual weight and it was thought might be too similar to other keys.

mtlmtlmtlmtl 3y ago
Interesting. Though I'm curious why infinity was even a consideration in the first place.
- reaperducer 3y ago
  Interesting. Though I'm curious why infinity was even a consideration in the first place. That part I don't know. Maybe just because it's geeky, and the original Mac team was certainly that; even the ones involved in its physical design.
_shantaram 3y ago
Macintosh Folklore disagrees. That's literally as close to "people who were there" as one can get. https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campground.txt https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Swedish_Campgrou...
SeanLuke 3y ago
Susan Kare selected the symbol herself. I wouldn't exactly call her explanation "revisionist".

twic 3y ago

A propeller. On the early prototypes of the Mac, that key was used to fire the torpedoes.

thih9 3y ago

A castle. > Susan Kare states that she has since been told that the symbol was picked for its Scandinavian usage due to its resembling the shape of a square castle with round corner towers as seen from above looking down, notably Borgholm Castle. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_key#Origin_of_the_symbol https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_key#Origin_of_the_sy...