Compact Simpson's 3/8 Rule(??)

[rprosperi]

(12-14-2015 08:13 PM)Dieter Wrote:  

(12-13-2015 08:09 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Hopefully the referenced article explains the source of this 'magic' number. Typically, these explanations are nice stories, but not always the real truth behind how these things have come down though history. The real stories are probably much less interesting...

Well, in this case the story is said to be true. ;-)

If you haven't read the referenced 4711 website yet, Wikipedia also knows the story behind this number in its respective arcticle. You'll find the story of one of the world's most traditional fragrances and the 4711 brand, especially for Eau de Cologne, which was named after the manufacturer's original location at Glockengasse 4711 in Cologne. The origins of this number again are explained in the section "house number 4711".

In Germany "4711" has a brand awareness of 80%, and I assume between 90 and 100% in the older generation. Over the decades this number has become a kind of synonym for any arbitrary number, which is the way it was used here.

Dieter

Thanks for the additional comments. I did go the site you listed and read the history. Seems strange I've never heard of this brand of cologne; though hardly an expert or anything, I have spent many occasions having perfumes/colognes recommended and don't recall this one. Perhaps I liked other brands and only recall the ones I purchased.

Wikipedia has quite a detailed history! Astounding someone researched that so thoroughly.

Any idea how something so well recognized by almost all folks ended up becoming a synonym for an arbitrary number? Seems an odd evolution, though it is a rather odd-looking number.