Comments on: Googling a non-alphanumeric whatsit

Question: Googling a non-alphanumeric whatsit

nebulawindphone — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:03:02 -0800

Give me a fish: What does this symbol mean? )'( Teach me to fish: Is there any way to Google a non-alphanumeric string like that? How about other search engines?

The symbol showed up on a stranger's LiveJournal interest list. Some of the people who list it also list "burning man." Some of the people who list it also list Chinese or Japanese characters, or names of anime shows. Other than that, I can't find any patterns. Really, though, I'm just annoyed that I couldn't Google it and find out for myself where it comes from.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:12:20 -0800

It's the symbol for Burning Man. Well, a typographic approximation of the real thing (see top of page). It is most definitely not a Chinese/Japanese character.

By: cerebus19

cerebus19 — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:12:56 -0800

I don't know what that symbol means, but I can tell you that there is no way to Google for punctuation. I don't know of any search engine that will let you do that.

By: stefanie

stefanie — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:34:20 -0800

Symbols.com has a search function, but it can't help find moderns signs/logos like that one.

By: skylar

skylar — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:35:04 -0800

Looks like the Burning Man logo, for sure.

By: turbodog

turbodog — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 09:57:28 -0800

I asked a similiar question. The short answer: you can't Google on most non-alphanumerics.

By: DaShiv

DaShiv — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 10:31:31 -0800

Here is an example in context. Look at the section dividers.

By: madman

madman — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 12:03:44 -0800

Maybe it's my filthy mind, but the first thing that popped into my head when I saw that symbol was, "hmmm... looks like somebody's arse."

By: greasepig

greasepig — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 15:04:13 -0800

FWIW I've also seen \<>/ used alot for Burning Man.

By: nebulawindphone

nebulawindphone — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 20:15:21 -0800

(Glad that wasn't just me, madman. But we've already got (_!_) for that...)

By: MLIS

MLIS — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 20:53:29 -0800

It is not a search engine, but here is the The Unofficial Smiley Dictionary.