At 10:58 AM 5/25/98 -0400, you wrote:
>     In my earlier message I said the origin of using Xtal for a crystal
>     was obscure.  Bill's message confirms this.  Bill, what has X
>     representing 'trans' got to do with 'crystal'?

The X comes from history.

In the "old days" before most Europeans could read, the "X" was used as a
generic signature on legal documents.  It was always accompanied by a
witness who COULD sign his name.  X was used as a testimony to the writer's
Christianity, signifying the cross of Christ.

Over the years, the X became less centered with that, and came to mean
"cross" of any sort.  "Criss" and "cross" sound similar enough that lazy
engineers use xtal.  Xform for transformer probably comes from the symbol
for a transformational function - a circle with an X in it, but that's just
my guess.

Andy

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Andy Kunz - Statistical Research, Inc. - Westfield, New Jersey USA
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