question about usage

[Robert Shelton]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com 
> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of 
> Deirdre Reagan
> 
> Thanks all for the responses about alphanumeric characters 
> and the use of that terminology.
> 
> I get that 123ABC consist of alphanumerical characters.
> 
> However, does 123 consist of numerical characters?  I would 
> say it consists of numbers.
> 
> Does ABC consist of alpha characters?  I would say it 
> consists of letters.
> 
> In the documents I am working with, 123 is refered to as 
> numerical characters and ABC is refered to as alpha characters.
> 
> Here's what I'm talking about:
> 
> "Move the part numbers that begin with a numerical character 
> to the end of the list after the part numbers that begin with 
> an alpha character."
> 
> I'm just wondering how widespread this usage is.  Are these 
> terms just in my documents in my company, and I should make 
> the correction, or do technical writers the world over use 
> "alpha characters" to refer to letters and "numerical 
> characters" to refer to numbers?

In my somewhat limited experience, yes, this usage is widespread. That
doesn't make it right. I think it's mostly just people trying to sound
technical and fancy. If you're writing for programmers, maybe. If you're
writing for a non-technical audience, I would use "number" and "letter."
And for "alphanumeric characters," I would say "letters or numbers." But
that may just be me.

Bob

HF: "So what do we do?"
PH: "Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well."
HF: "How?"
PH: "I don't know. It's a mystery."
--Shakespeare in Love