Not so fast. My own family history shows that the symbol was first attributed to Botticelli (a step cousin to one of my ancestors) who, while painting 'Judith' in 1445 developed simultaneous ingrown toenails on his biggies. The problem continued for 7 years which seemed to Botticelli to be an 'endless' period of time. Finally one of my ancestors was so fed up with his complaining during Christmas dinners that she suggested he 'paint the bastards'. She meant this as an insult to Botticelli's infamous ability to avoid helping out around the house but Botticelli took it seriously. Finally in an apparently successful attempt to excise the demons he painted hit inflamed digits side by side and called the painting 'Inflamity' but due to his lisp and my family's general lack of respect for him, they thought he said 'Infinity'. So you see I got you beat by over 200 years! Greg Fraser > -----Original Message----- > > Anddd.... > we have a winner!! > > Wallis first used this symbol in 1655 in "De sectionibus > conicis" and again > in "Arithmetica infinitorum" in 1656. > > Bill Ellis > wb9cac@attbi.com > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Steve Hodges" <shodges@wantree.com.au> > To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" > <photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu> > Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 8:19 AM > Subject: Re: Infinity sign on lenses > > > > I'll go with John Wallis. > > > > Steve > > > > ADavidhazy wrote: > > > > > > AndrewF posed: > > > "You've all seen the flat eight on your lens - know who > 'invented' it?" > >
