On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 11:29:18 -0500, Mark E. Shoulson <mark@...> wrote:

> The underscore is used to indicate subscripting in the typesetting
> program TeX, which many computer programmers are familiar with.
> Sometimes you'll even catch them using TeX-specific peculiarities, e.g.
> Writing H_2O but C_{10}H_{22}O_{11}, because TeX only subscripts the
> next element, which is just the next single number, unless it is
> enclosed in braces. (which is why H_2O requires no end-of-subscript
> marker).

Most helpful! The use of braces is information I had hoped to find.

> TeX convention is frequently seen in geeky correspondence, since TeX can
> represent pretty much anything--though not always transparently.

Gosh, I thought I was a geek; not sufficiently, but not feeling sad about
that, either. :)
After all, I did go to the party before the Geek Pride Festival, as well
as attending the Festival itself.

Best regards,

--
Nicholas Bodley /*|*\ Waltham, Mass. (Not "MA")
Science education in Kansas: The water in
the oceans does not fall off the edges of the
Earth because it is God's will that it not do so.