Dot

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 07/31/2001 12:40:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
JBaker at STRADLEY.COM writes:
>         How's this:  >>The "and" operator is often represented by a centered
>  dot (.),<<
>
>          From Glossary of Computer Engineering and Programming Terminology
>  (Partial list from BRL Report 1115, March 1961), online at
>
>  http://ftp.arl.army.mil/~mike/comphist/61ordnance/app8.html

This is the "logical AND" operator from Boolean algebra, not the period used
to separate parts of a filename (or URL, which is a type of filename), and
therefore not relevant to the current thread.

>          Actually, I feel sure that "dot" has been used in computer contexts
>  as long as there have been dots to refer to.  The trisyllabic "period" is
>  just too long and awkward.

I had to work with OS/360 filenames using periods starting in 1969.
Unfortunately memory fails to serve when trying to recall what we called
those periods.  I can't recall if "dot" was used.  I seem to recall that some
people used "point" but I cannot remember if that were the dominant usage.

                              - Jim