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THE 42 INDEX

Public index · Computing

ASCII asterisk

42

Recorded

ASCII / Unicode code point for *

The asterisk is character 42 in ASCII. Unicode keeps it as U+002A ASTERISK. Asteriskos in Greek is a little star. The committee did not choose 42 because it meant star.

42ASCII asteriskIn the computer’s oldest alphabet, forty-two is the little star. Greek asteriskos. The table did not choose 42 because it meant that.

What it supports

An exact encoding: ASCII 1963 and Unicode U+002A = decimal 42. The name is older than the table. A little star sits at 42 in digital transmission. Causation stays out of it.

What it does not

Not evidence that computers secretly mean 42. A positional assignment in a 7-bit table.

ExactnessExact

Form42

Unitcode point

Strengthhard

Source

ASCII (ASA X3.4-1963); Unicode U+002A

Owner

THE 42 INDEX