HW: Xenon Codex

[Jon Jarrett]

On Fri, 5 Jan 2001, Bob Lennon wrote:

> I always assumed the Xenon Codex was named for what the 2 words stand for
> literally:
> Xenon = a heavy, gaseous element, Codex=An Ancient manuscript volume, as of
> scripture

        Codex in fact just means a book, as we understand it. The term
dates from the Roman Empire, when books were more usually on rolls of
papyrus (scrolls to us) and the codex (pages bound into a gathering) was
regarded as a dangerous innovation which would take the seriousness out of
reading. There are a couple of poems by one Roman poet who wanted to
versify about how much the codex format was increasing his sales :-)

        Ahem, anyway. Yeah, it's a book made of xenon I always
assumed. This would be before the Schwa Corporation added the extra
meaning to `Xenon', too, wouldn't it? Yours,
                                             Jon

ObCD: Tangerine Dream - _Atem_
--
     Jon Jarrett (01223 514989)       jjarrett at chiark.greenend.org.uk
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        "There's nothin' more dangerous than a wounded mosquito."