20.99~ The tilde as a candidate for the currency symbol for bits or bitcoin

[xxeyes]

Reasons for your consideration:

• The primary current meaning of the tilde is "approximately equal to", which is analogous to the definition of money.
• The squiggly line of the tilde is similar to the vertical or horizontal bar common to currency symbols, but more ethereal to represent a digital transaction.
• The tilde is easily accessible on any keyboard.  I'm writing this on my phone.
• The tilde is easy to draw by hand.

[yayayo]

Reasons for your consideration:

• The primary current meaning of the tilde is "approximately equal to" which is analogous to the definition of money.  That is, you could say that money is "approximately equal to" the goods it is traded for.
• [...]

Problem with your proposal: The possible interpretation is too broad. Nobody knows which currency you mean when using "~". This means you could use "~" when describing any (abstract) form of money, but not a specific currency.

That said, I also think that "BTC" and the "B-with-legs"-symbol are already too widespread to be abolished as currency descriptors of Bitcoin.

ya.ya.yo!

[xxeyes]

Reasons for your consideration:

• The primary current meaning of the tilde is "approximately equal to" which is analogous to the definition of money.  That is, you could say that money is "approximately equal to" the goods it is traded for.
• [...]

Problem with your proposal: The possible interpretation is too broad. Nobody knows which currency you mean when using "~". This means you could use "~" when describing any (abstract) form of money, but not a specific currency.

That said, I also think that "BTC" and the "B-with-legs"-symbol are already too widespread to be abolished as currency descriptors of Bitcoin.

ya.ya.yo!

That is a problem common to any new symbol/entity relationship.  If it were to be used consistently, I think the tilde could come to be recognized as meaning bits or bitcoin.

[AtheistAKASaneBrain]

Reasons for your consideration:

• The primary current meaning of the tilde is "approximately equal to", which is analogous to the definition of money.
• The squiggly line of the tilde is similar to the vertical or horizontal bar common to currency symbols, but more ethereal to represent a digital transaction.
• The tilde is easily accessible on any keyboard.  I'm writing this on my phone.
• The tilde is easy to draw by hand.

I don't know, I have become so used to dealing with tons of zeroes that for me is not a problem anymore to work only in terms of BTC. I understand this can be a pain in the ass for noobs tho.

[pantelis]

I support Ƀ (http://bitcoinsymbol.org).

[R2D221]

The tilde seems like a vague symbol for me. What's wrong with a symbol that includes the letter B?

[xxeyes]

The tilde seems like a vague symbol for me. What's wrong with a symbol that includes the letter B?

Nothing, except that these symbols aren't readily available on a keyboard.  The tilde is accessible on any keyboard, even phone right now.

[R2D221]

The tilde seems like a vague symbol for me. What's wrong with a symbol that includes the letter B?

Nothing, except that these symbols aren't readily available on a keyboard.  The tilde is accessible on any keyboard, even phone right now.

So is the exclamation mark ( ! ), but why would you choose one over another? If anything, a plain B (which also it's found at least in all Latin keyboards) should be used.

[R2D221]

Also, regarding “approximately equal”, I don't want to spend “approx. 20.99”, but rather “exactly 20.99”.

[Q7]

I'm kind of reserved when using the tilde (~) symbol. There are certain people who refer to the use of ~ when it comes to expressing approximation so probably there might be confusion here. Anyway, since I can see $ on my laptop keyboard, on my android phone, the euro and pound symbol is also there, so probably if btc somehow managed to reached mainstream adoption we ought to find the BTC becoming a standard symbol.

[celebreze32]

Using special characters might be insecure because they are often used in computer programming languages.

In the C++ programming language ~ is the destructor. It gets called when you destroy (reaching end of scope, or calling delete to a pointer to) the instance of the object. Even worse, it's also called bitwise negation (complement), as in the following contexts/examples:

int a = ~100;
int b = ~a;

Output:

-101
100

Hackers would love it if ~ stood for Bitcoin.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5343437/meaning-of-tilde-symbol-in-c

[xxeyes]

Also, regarding “approximately equal”, I don't want to spend “approx. 20.99”, but rather “exactly 20.99”.

I didn't mean for the definition to be taken literally.  I'm just saying the concept of "approximately equal to" already associated with the tilde would make for an easy transition into thinking of the tilde as a currency symbol.  The tilde means "approximately equal" when it is between two entities like this: a~b.  I think it could take on its own meaning as a currency symbol if it just trails a number like this: 20.99~.

[xxeyes]

Using special characters might be insecure because they are often used in computer programming languages.

In the C++ programming language ~ is the destructor. It gets called when you destroy (reaching end of scope, or calling delete to a pointer to) the instance of the object. Even worse, it's also called bitwise negation (complement), as in the following contexts/examples:

int a = ~100;
int b = ~a;

Output:

-101
100

Hackers would love it if ~ stood for Bitcoin.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5343437/meaning-of-tilde-symbol-in-c

Interesting, thanks for the insightful feedback.  I must admit I don't entirely understand what you are saying, but I get that the tilde could cause problems since it is used in programming languages.

[maku]

The tilde seems like a vague symbol for me. What's wrong with a symbol that includes the letter B?

Nothing, except that these symbols aren't readily available on a keyboard.  The tilde is accessible on any keyboard, even phone right now.

At certain point none of these symbols were available on a keyboard. I still don't have an Euro symbol € on my keybard, and as you can see I can use it quite well by typing 0128 while pressing ALT. If Bitcoin will be known enough symbol for it will be there when you will need it, for now it is too early. As even wider known currency symbols are not incorporated...

[Kazimir]

Bad idea, the ~ already has several other meanings in various contexts.

I'd say BTC whenever possible. Which is most of the time, including all websites: FontAwesome allows you to very easily use the BTC symbol as text anywhere.

Otherwise, ฿ is just fine. Confusion with Thai Baht is a total non-issue. Just like $ is used for Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong, Namibia, Belize, American, Suriname, or Taiwanese Dollars, yet nobody cares.

Keyboard? I currently live in the UK and there is no £ symbol on my keyboard. I know plenty of Europeans who have no € on their keyboard, and even ones that do yet still don't know how to type it (they just menu options in their word editors > insert special symbol, etc).

And otherwise there's also "BTC".

[R2D221]

I'm just saying the concept of "approximately equal to" already associated with the tilde would make for an easy transition into thinking of the tilde as a currency symbol.

Easy transition? I just don't see it how to jump from these meanings:

Approximation => ???? => Currency

What is the relationship?

[colinistheman]

There are certain people who refer to the use of ~ when it comes to expressing approximation so probably there might be confusion here.

I am one of these people. I use the tilde character when I am expressing an approximation of a number.

I think a "B" (or the B with a line through it when this symbol is available) or "BTC" is just fine for expressing bitcoin.

I understand your desire to create a symbol for bits though. And I agree that would be nice. But may just come down to another short series of characters like "BTC"

[drawingthesun]

Also, regarding “approximately equal”, I don't want to spend “approx. 20.99”, but rather “exactly 20.99”.

Yeah exactly, the tilde already has a well known meaning.
Repurposing it for Bitcoin would be potentially more confusing than Bitcoin itself.

[Kazimir]

I don't support it. It's confusing. Let's just use a small b for bits.

Or ƀ which is a regular unicode symbol (U+0180) and nicely fits with the common cent symbol ¢ for fiat.

I say BTC or ฿ for BTC, and ƀ for bits (millionth of a BTC). Several wallets, including breadwallet (the best and most popular wallet on iOS) already use this.

[monsanto]

How about △? The pyramid symbol (U+25B3).