In a couple of places recently .this site and Silicon Chip I noticed the use of w in stead of ohm 2.2kw etc .now to me that kilowatt .....so is this the new sloppy idle way of doing ohm and whats the symbol for Watt ....??? I just noticed all the symbols are at the side.... Ω so no excuse

 

I believe you are serious, but I missed the "w as ohms" thing. If you could point out the place where that happened the rest of us could see who got sloppy.

 

It is quite common around the world and I've seen it often in PDF files. I suspect it's a problem with the available character encodings -- the capital omega isn't available, so usually a w gets substituted. It's a PITA because W means watts, but one can usually figure things out from the context.

 

Capital W for Watts, ω (lower case Omega) for Ohms but Ω is preferred. Then there's the weak use of m when μ is intended. Browsers, operating systems and the forum engine all accept at least Unicode UTF-8 characters though some are font dependent. If you're using Windows, there's a character map available under system tools in accessories.

 

Yeah, but that would require thinking, and maybe even...work!

 

We've had the complaint before. This isn't going to go over well, but the problem is with the OP's computer. It is using a font that does not display ohms correctly. Everyone else sees the correct symbol but them, but how can they know that?

To type ohms press and hold the <alt> key, then type 234, then release the <alt> key. Everyone who's computer is set up correctly will see the omega symbol ( Ω ). It you don't it isn't everyone elses computer, it is yours (and your problem).

Other symbols can be found here...

Alternate Math Symbols

 

so whats wrong with the ilde sods putting 2.2Kohms

 

...To type ohms press and hold the <alt> key, then type 234, then release the <alt> key. Everyone who's computer is set up correctly will see the omega symbol ( Ω ). It you don't it isn't everyone elses computer, it is yours (and your problem).
...

Bill, I just tried the 2 computers in arms reach (in Notepad) and now this computer in this reply entry box, and the ALT thing doesn't work.

Do you have any idea where I can turn this ALT feature on?

 

Bill, I just tried the 2 computers in arms reach (in Notepad) and now this computer in this reply entry box, and the ALT thing doesn't work.

Do you have any idea where I can turn this ALT feature on?

Bill forgot to mention that you have to use the numeric keypad.
Numlock has to be enabled.

 

Some computers require you to use the ALT + fn key and use the keypad that is "under" your letter keys, not your top number row.

 

With the schematic symbol for a resistor and just 2.2K it is assumed the value is in ohms. The schematic author can opt to use a footnote that says so.

 

so whats wrong with the ilde sods putting 2.2Kohms

It would be better to fix your computer than to expect the rest of the world to conform to your singular computers specs, a major minority. With my images it doesn't matter, since fonts are not involved. However, even there there are differences in standards, resistors and inductors vary between the USA and the EU for example.

I would like to know what the problem is myself. There is a similar thread in the Feedback and Suggestions forum that had a similar problem, I don't remember if a solution was arrived at or not.

I hadn't realized the format for making these characters was so finicky, but it is. Numeric keypad with numlock on it is.

I use Verdana, this sites standard. What OS are you using? I'm using XP Pro.

You might try calling up Word or whatever you use for text, the seeing what displays ohms correctly using the <alt>234 method.

 

Hi,

If UTF-8 <Alt>0236 doesn't work for you then try UTF-16 <Alt> 8486 to get the Ω symbol.

Notepad doesn't support UTF-16, but wordpad does.

Regards,
Ifixit

 

Then there's the weak use of m when μ is intended.

Weaker still is when they capitolize it and slap it on the side of a capacitor. MFD...

250 MEGAfarads! Holy crap!

 

Hey, charge that sucker up to a hundred volts (might take a while), and you could probably power your electric car from here to Omaha!
EDIT: I just calculated that as the energy stored in 36,765 liters of gasoline.

 

Weaker still is when they capitolize it and slap it on the side of a capacitor. MFD...

250 MEGAfarads! Holy crap!

C'mon -- they've been screwing capacitance units like that up for decades. Don't expect the unwashed to change...

 

C'mon -- they've been screwing capacitance units like that up for decades. Don't expect the unwashed to change...

Convention? who needs it? We've got "that's how we've always done it" - which is a much stronger force to be reckoned with.

P.S. thanks for the new addition to my vocab. "unwashed" - had to look it up.

 

We've had the complaint before. This isn't going to go over well, but the problem is with the OP's computer. It is using a font that does not display ohms correctly. Everyone else sees the correct symbol but them, but how can they know that?

To type ohms press and hold the <alt> key, then type 234, then release the <alt> key. Everyone who's computer is set up correctly will see the omega symbol ( Ω ). It you don't it isn't everyone elses computer, it is yours (and your problem).

Other symbols can be found here...

Alternate Math Symbols

I have tried this in notepad, wordpad & MS Word with Verdana font selected. It produces a U with an inverted v above it (sorry, don't know the correct name). So how do I set up my computer "correctly"?

Just tried 8486 as suggested by ifixit, which does give a Ω in Wordpad & Word.

 

Does knowing how to directly enter unicode characters automatically define you as a nerd, or does the definition only apply when you start memorizing individual codes?

 

It might be your Location or Region/Language settings in the Windows Control Panel.

Check what you have it set to now, and then try setting the format to English(US) and location to UnitedStates. It could also be your Keyboard settings or under the Administrative tab, non-unicode locale setting; in Windows 7 it's all available from the "Region and Language" applet in the control panel.