When not in computer terms, that symbol means a penis in a vagina...

(Reply) (Thread) (Expand)

Anyone who is wearing a shirt with that symbol has never experienced the sensation of a penis in a vagina.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread) (Expand)

when my wife first saw that symbol on a shirt (yes, one of my old ones from thinkgeek), she assumed it was a stylized middle finger.
i've come to like that interpretation, and found it amusing that whenever i wore it, she would flip me off.

i'm assuming you'd do the same.

(Reply) (Thread)

You forgot "bemused".

(Reply) (Thread)

I can see bemused - of course Merriam Webster includes the 'wry humour' definition. I'm not sure I see where inappropriate, benefit, or fundraiser are coming from though. Have people started using them in odd ways that I've been fortunately sheltered from?

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

my brother has that tattooed on his neck. i'm going to have to tease him about this.

(Reply) (Thread)

Lay off him. He already gets teased plenty for simply having a neck tattoo.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

That's funny- I see that and I think on the on-off button on a computer, just like the one next to my right hand as I type. I have a feeling that wearing this is intended to signify identification with one; as in "I have an on-off button, just like my PC/Mac!" Tee hee!

I suppose it is a POWER!! button as well, but doesn't really make sense within the context...

(Reply) (Thread)

My computer's on-off button has that shape on it.

(Reply) (Thread)

So does mine, but it's a mixed-mode button. When the power is on, pressing it momentarily places the computer into standby. It only actually turns the computer off if I press and hold it for 4 seconds.

All the computers in my household work this way, as do all the computers I have at work (which is a lot).

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread) (Expand)

Companies are doing it, too. I walk by this thing every day and it bugs me for this exact reason.

(Reply) (Thread)

I swear that's a penis.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread) (Expand)

ok, so what does this mean?

(Reply) (Thread) (Expand)

"Off is better than on. SUCK IT YOU SAD LITTLE LINE."

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Eh. I like it, and I'll probably get one eventually. So if I'm wearing it and I get sneered at by jwz, I'll still be ahead because I'll be in SF and not here.

(Reply) (Thread)

'Alternatively, under IEEE 1621, this symbol simply means "power"'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_symbol

(Reply) (Thread)

This was introduced in 2004, and guess what was the rational for that? People were confused and assumed it meant power. IEEE 1621 introduced the "crescent moon" symbol for "Standby" and, boy, let me tell you, that's taken off.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

I think Macs have the "Standby" logo on their on/off button. My Lenovo laptop has Power slash Standby on it, never noticed it before. So no "off"? One monitor has the combo on/off button, and another one has standby. How odd indeed!

Stereo has "Standby", which fits because it can't be turned off with the button; it can be either fully on or displaying the time.

(Reply) (Thread)

They use a standby symbol because the button toggles between on, sleep, and off modes. The off mode isn't truly off; it still draws a trickle from wall power (or the battery, if it's an unplugged laptop). Like HAL, You can't fully power down a Mac without partially disassembling it. White box PCs usually have an old-fashioned electrical rocker switch on the power supply in addition to a more accessible soft power button.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

irregardless?

(Reply) (Thread)

Nonstandard, but acceptable.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

I continue to be confused by the big open circle thing that looks like a turned-on television that means "off", and the skinny vertical line that looks like a television being turned off that means "on". How did they get it so backwards?

(Reply) (Thread) (Expand)

Dude, it's a 1 and a 0, WTF.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Then again, the power of the masses can re-appropriate an icon/word/etc. and garner it a new meaning into the lexicon that may even run somewhat counter to the "official term".

And as another pointed out the IEEE is apparently backing such a move.

So you might be "officially" right for the time being, but soon you may end upon the side of "formerly known as".

(Reply) (Thread)

*mutters*

I've always liked that my shirt meant "standby"...

(Reply) (Thread)

Looking at my IBM Thinkcentre, I can see a glowing green thing that looks exactly like that "Standby" symbol.

I wonder what the fuck that means?

Nice work, Lenovo.

(Reply) (Thread)

If a female non geek knows that this means standby, then that's saying something guys.

Want me to spell it out for you in a mathematical equation? It might make it easier for you to understand.

Seriously guys, get a better t-shirt. Probably one that will help you get laid by something other than an autobot.

_{Why does my mind automatically echo the voice of countless geeks before screaming "It's an action figure, not a doll!"}

(Reply) (Thread)

I have been watching your icon now for five minutes, enthralled.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

OK, I've heard your schpeil on the last word--want to share with me about the rest?

(Reply) (Thread) (Expand)

I'll second that. The problems encountered with some of those (decimate) are more obvious, but most I haven't seen at the top of a language abuse list. I always like a good English lesson/rant.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread) (Expand)

Eh. I don't know anyone who wears those shirts, but if it's supposed to represent actual control of power rather than just the word "power" (words have meanings because we usually care more about the meanings than the actual words themselves), then it doesn't really make a difference whether that control is in hardware or software. Most people don't know the difference because 99% of the time the difference is irrelevant. Except to nerds, who brandish their knowledge of technical arcana, often with little regard for relevance, as a means of displaying social status. Thus we see that Real Men Divert The Electron Flow With Their Bare Hands (and jwz is a bigger nerd than people who wear shirts with the standby logo).

(Reply) (Thread)

Technical accuracy is a real sociological problem, I agree.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

the informatik shirt i have on right now sort of has that logo...although, it's upside down, so don't really know what they were going for there.

(Reply) (Thread)

I have one of those shirts. The "power" connotation is not so important to me; I still like it because the logo glows in the dark. Also, in my single days, it was amusing to wear it out because drunk guys thought they were clever offering to press the button for me.

Come to think of it, maybe that's why I never wear it anymore.

(Reply) (Thread)

I see a big cargo of FAIL coming this way.

As someone already pointed out:

Alternatively, under IEEE 1621, this symbol simply means "power"
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_symbol#cite_note-1 )

Which is also what the symbol stands for in everyday use (as in, "honey, press the power button to turn this thing off"), regardless of any anal pedantic definition.

(Reply) (Thread)

Watch out calling jwz anal and pedantic. You might hurt his feelings.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread) (Expand)

Given that this is the logo for the Web 2.0 expo (hence the source of the shirts) and said expo appears to be ground zero for the New Media Douchebags you mentioned earlier this week, none of this should be at all suprising to you.

(Reply) (Thread)

Actually I had no idea that that was the logo for Douchebag 2.0 Expo. That makes this even better!

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

I have a feeling I'm more lame than everyone now, since I want a shirt that says "[standby]me".

I guess it'd be too frustrating explaining over and over what I know now, that my shirt says "stand by me" instead of "power me" because "that symbol doesn't mean... it means..." and "oh, you didn't like that movie? well what about the song? well, I mean, it's not so much about that, it's just I'm single and I figured it'd be a cute way of..."

Yeah, lamer than everyone now.

(Reply) (Thread)

I think I just got pwnd. So why do so many power buttons use the 'standby' glyph?

(Reply) (Thread)

Two possibilities: The devices are still drawing current even though they're not functional, or because the industrial designers screwed up.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)