Talk:Bullet (typography)

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History of the bullet

This seems like a pretty new invention; would somebody research it and write up the history of symbol? Thanks. David McCabe 03:45, 5 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It would also help to know how to type the bullet.

I'd love some guidance around capitalization within bullets.

David,

Here is the history of the bullet point, as it has been told to me. It is possible that it dates further back than the mid 1960's, but I've not found anything on it.

The history of the bullet point

In the mid 1960’s, in budding Silicon Valley, there was a perhaps under-valued child psychologist named Regina Ball. While widely recognized within the Cupertino Unified School District as a leader in her field, what went un-recognized was her significant contribution to what would later boom into every day use with the mass adoption of personal computers. Unimpressed with the standard report writing techniques, Ms. Ball took a great leap of faith, risking her professional reputation and possibly social standing by insisting upon the use of a series of solid black dots as an alternative to standard outlining methods in the main text of her reports. Met with great resistance by her secretary, who insisted the black dots should not be used because they looked unprofessional and detracted from the report, Ms. Ball had to resort to uncharacteristic demands to achieve her goals. Ms. Ball continued to use the bullet point, even in the face of ridicule.

Years later, the series of black dots became a staple of everyday writing, no longer confined to Microsoft Word and Power Point. A Google search of the term “bullet point”, results in numerous websites offering instruction on improving the use of the bullet point. However, a search for the history of the bullet point results in a mere request by David McCabe, on March 5, 2007, for a “history of the symbol”. His request can now be met because of Ms. Ball’s emergence as the inventor of the bullet point.

Ms. Ball, now Lady Smith, resides in Oxford, England with her husband, Sir Brian.

ArviLu, 2:47, 24 August 2008 ArviLu (talk) 21:48, 24 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

This article has numerous problems...

...including, but not limited to:

Not differing between the bullet character and characters used in a similar role (notably in lists) appropriately.

Not treating the bullet character and bullet lists sufficiently separately.

Being Windows centric.

Containing undue instructions (WP is not an instruction manual).

Generally, being poorly written.

I suggest a complete re-write. 188.100.201.34 (talk) 18:58, 14 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]