What name for the '#' symbol was coined by Bell Labs employees in the 1960s?
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Octothorpe
The term 'octothorpe' was invented by engineers at Bell Labs while they were developing the touch-tone telephone system in the 1960s. While 'octo-' refers to the symbol's eight points, the 'thorpe' part is rumored to have been named after the legendary Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe. This unique name helped distinguish the symbol from the pound sign or hash mark in technical documentation.
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- What is the technical term for the symbol commonly known as a pound sign or hashtag?