alt

character /awlt/ 1. The alt modifier key on many

keyboards, including the IBM PC. On some keyboards and

operating systems, (but not the IBM PC) the alt key sets bit

7 of the character generated.

See bucky bits.

2. The "clover" or "Command" key on a Macintosh; use of

this term usually reveals that the speaker hacked PCs before

coming to the Mac (see also feature key). Some Mac hackers,

confusingly, reserve "alt" for the Option key (and it is so

labelled on some Mac II keyboards).

3. (Obsolete PDP-10; often "ALT") An alternate name for the

ASCII ESC character (Escape, ASCII 27), after the keycap

labelling on some older terminals; also "altmode"

(/awlt'mohd/). This character was almost never pronounced

"escape" on an ITS system, in TECO or under TOPS-10,

always alt, as in "Type alt alt to end a TECO command" or

"alt-U onto the system" (for "log onto the [ITS] system").

This usage probably arose because alt is easier to say.

4. messaging One of the Usenet newsgroup hierarchies.

It was founded by John Gilmore and Brian Reid. The alt

hierarchy is special in that anyone can create new groups here

without going though the normal voting proceduers, hence the

regular appearence of new groups with names such as

"alt.swedish.chef.bork.bork.bork".

[Jargon File]

(1997-04-12)