propeller key ==>
feature key
<hardware> (Or "flower", "pretzel", "clover", "propeller", "beanie" (from
propeller beanie), splat, "command key") The Macintosh modifier key with the
four-leaf clover graphic on its keytop.
The feature key is the Mac's equivalent of a control key (and so labelled on
some Mac II keyboards). The proliferation of terms for this creature may
illustrate one subtle peril of iconic interfaces. Macs also have an "Option"
modifier key, equivalent to Alt.
The cloverleaf-like symbol's oldest name is "cross of St. Hannes", but it occurs
in pre-Christian Viking art as a decorative motif. In Scandinavia it marks sites
of historical interest. An early Macintosh developer who happened to be Swedish
introduced it to Apple. Apple documentation gives the translation "interesting
feature".
The symbol has a Unicode character called "PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN" (U+2318),
previously known as "command key".
The Swedish name of this symbol stands for the word "sev"ardhet" (interesting
feature), many of which are old churches. Some Swedes report as an idiom for it
the word "kyrka", cognate to English "church" and Scots-dialect "kirk" but
pronounced /shir'k*/ in modern Swedish. Others say this is nonsense.
http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2318/index.htm.
[Jargon File]
(2005-09-15)
Nearby terms:
feature creature « feature creep « featurectomy «
feature key » feature shock » FEC » Federal
Geographic Data Committee
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