Why is the symbol for the on/off button shaped like this?

One of the best-known symbols on devices technological It’s the on/off button. This figure does not need a description so that most people know what it is for and how it works. But why is it this way?

The symbol to turn it on and off is a circle that is intersected at the top by a straight line to the center of the figure. That is, it has two parts: a circle and a straight line. Because?

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Before there was a single button for these actions, the on and off, there was a button for each one. This was usually a switch similar to a light switch in a house.: if you pressed on one side, the device would turn on, while if you pressed on the other, it would turn off.

The on/off switch had two sides, represented by a ‘1’ (on) and a ‘0’ (off). (Pixabay/)

The side that lit was marked by a straight line, which was actually a ‘1′; while the shutdown was marked by a circle, which was actually a ‘0′. In this way, people could know if any of them did not work correctly, since they had these specific functions.

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However, being practically the same button, it merged with the passing of time. Therefore, the symbol also became one. The ‘0’ is the circle and the ‘1’ is the straight line that intersects at the top. That is, both give the shape of the current on and off button.

Most devices have a lighting system for these buttons, making it easier to see if something is on. But, some even only light up the ‘1’, referencing the old switch with both buttons.

Source: Elcomercio