4 ms·

What prevented someone from just extending the line?

• _nalply 2y ago
  > I think this way it is difficult [...] It's just difficult, but not impossible. This said, such tampering is in my jurisdiction punishable by law (Art. 251 Forgery of a document), see https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/en#art_251 https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/54/757_781_799/en#art_251 I am sure in Common Law jurisdiction forgery of documents is also punishable. So such things are defended by a two-pronged approach: Make it difficult and forbid it.
  • kazinator 2y ago
    Someone forging a number is already going to the trouble to find seclusion so that they are unobserved, and to try to match the writing instrument (color, stroke and texture) and the handwriting of the existing digits. A horizontal square bracket would have been a more effective deterrent than just a line.
    • _nalply 2y ago
      So find a time machine and travel back and tell the people of your superior solution. scnr
      • kazinator 2y ago
        My point is more that the people of the past weren't stupid; they didn't believe that a horizontal line couldn't be easily extended by a forger to hang over newly added digits. Rather, our explanation today is lacking; there must have been some other reason for the practice. Or no reason other than that someone stated it and it become something that is always done that way.