So, you ask a question – ANY QUESTION, and we’ll answer them.  (Heather or I)  ‘Cause if it is a question you have, then chances are, someone else is wondering the same thing.

Here’s a little tip for one of the buttons in the write screen: the Greek Symbol button:

This button opens a screen full of symbols that every browser will recognize.

Oh that gives me an idea for a sermon:  Er’hem. Ready?

Begin Sermon….

There are standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium.  These standards let people in countries all over the world, in all sorts of different languages and traditions, communicate in a standard “web language”.  (There are tons of languages – most of you will be familiar with HTML or XHTML.)  As you can imagine, this is a complicated issue, but the simple version is that some programmers stay within these guidelines and are termed “Standards Compliant”.  And I know we all like to be rebels (non-stardard compliant), but in this case, you’re going to want to be straight as an arrow, prim as Jane Austen.

If you decide to use non-standard compliant programs, you may not see all internet sites the way that you’re supposed to.  Some may not work at all, actually.  So here’s my POINT:  Internet Explorer (which is still the most popular program for viewing the internet) is NOT standards-compliant.  Look to the top of this screen – do you see a cute little “e” in the corner?  You bad, bad internet user!  IE plays by its own rule book.

Don’t hate the messenger, it’s just the way they play the game.  You can go ahead and change to a Standards Compliant browser.  If you google those terms:  standards compliant browser, you’ll get many, many hits.  I know that I prefer Firefox, Heather does, and so do many other WP’ers.  Their download site is super-easy to use.  You basically double click on the download button, and it will guide you through the entire installation process.

End Sermon.

So, I’m pretty sure I had a point….

Oh!  That button up top there?  The Greek Symbol thingie?  Those are HTML translations of various symbols that are available on all standards compliant browsers.

The ones that I most commonly use are:

° Degree:  for writing oven temperatures in my recipes

∏ Pi:  because I’m a smartie pants.  (Just don’t go checking up on that, mkay?)

Click on the button, click on the symbol you want to use, and bingo!  You’ve got it.  (in the visual screen).

Enjoy!  (And go download a new browser while you’re at it.)