X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: f996b,71f43a67af8f0cb2,start X-Google-Attributes: gidf996b,public X-Google-Thread: f6ef0,71f43a67af8f0cb2,start X-Google-Attributes: gidf6ef0,public From: kenwest@lglobal.com (Ken West) Subject: Why *is* it called ASCII Art ? Date: 1996/05/20 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 155814145 organization: Local GlobalAccess Inc. newsgroups: alt.ascii-art,alt.peeve The ASCII.art FAQ mentions that > Before computers, ASCII art was made on typewriters, > teletype machines (5 bit), and was created typographically. There are even > tee-shirts with the :-) smiley. This raises a couple of questions: 1. What was it called when done on typewriters (before ASCII code was invented)? 2. Why is it called ASCII art now? To elaborate: Yes, it was done on typewriters, and I'm sure it was not called ASCII art then. Any when done one teletypes with 5-bit codes, I'm sure it was not called ASCII art. Then, it was done on computers like the IBM 1401, which used 6-bit characters in BCD code. I don't think it was called BCD art then, and it _certainly_ wasn't called ASCII art. Then, when 8-bit machines like the IBM /360 came along, they used EBCDIC code. I don't think it was called EBCDIC art then, and it _certainly_ wasn't called ASCII art. Now, with the prevalence of PCs, using ASCII characters, someone has decided that this character-based art is to be called ASCII art. When you think of it, once the characters are on paper, or even on a screen, the fact that they possibly were orginally stored with 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 bits inside some computer memory has nothing to do with the art itself; so, can someone clarify how the term "ASCII art" came about? And is there any rationale behind the fact that it clearly HAS come about? regards, Ken West