Re: [Groff] \(bs escape sequence

[Dean Allen Provins]

Hello:

This thread is likely dead, but as I'm now back looking at it (I
passed my candidacy last week, and with that behind me, I'm back on
the groff HOWTO) I thought I'd add a bit more trivia.

I just looked at a copy of UNIX Vol.1 Programmer's Manual from Bell
Labs, dated 1979/1983 and there it is on page 407.  Must be the
trademark that is descirbed below.

Dean Provins
Calgary

> > The special character \(bs is not implemented in groff.
> > 
> > In the 1st ed. of Bourne - The UNIX system, it is displayed as a
> > large circle with something like a bell inside (bell sign?), 
> > but in the
> > Kernighan reference it looks like a black full moon (large 
> > bullet sign).
> 
> AFAIK this sequence supports the graphical reprasentation of
> the trademark, which was being valid in that past. 
> 
> At the beginning of UNIX live this was a circle with a bell enclosed
> -- the good old bell trademark.
> 
> At the time the Bell Labs became the AT&T UNIX System Laboratories it
> was changed to the new AT&T symbol. I read in some of the Unix histories,
> that somebody had ironically compared this logo with the 
> Star War's Death Star (of the famous Lucas Art film).
> 
> I hardly remember that I read in a troff Introduction that is discouraged
> to use this sequence because in some *nix licencees had replaced the 
> reprasentation in some inconsequent way in their packages.
> 
> J_rg Freudenberger