Why quote like `this' ?

[MattEvans]

Alot of (mainly linux/perl/etc) documentation, websites and comments use this quoting style:

Type `hello' to invoke `system shutdown'.

Is there any particular reason to start the quoted block with a backtick (`) and end with a single quote (') ?

This isn't really a support question, I'm just intrigued...

[Ancient Dragon]

The quotes make it unambiguous what the user is supposed to type. If you left the quotes out, someone will probably try this

c:>hello to invoke system shutdown <Enter key>

[MattEvans]

Hm, why not just use normal (matched pairs) single or double quotes then?

type "hello" to invoke "system shutdown"

or

type 'hello' to invoke 'system shutdown'

Why have a backtick as the first quote and a single quote as the second quote for a block?

It's only in certain types of documentation that the quoting is done this way, it's only done in documentation and not program code, and I've seen it too frequently to dismiss it as multiple typos..

I can't find any examples now I've mentioned it; if I do, I'll post them here...

[MattEvans]

Well, here's why anyway:

http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Quote-Characters.html

Perhaps it's only certain fonts that show the first quote as being a little slanted from topleft-to-bottomright; or perhaps the 0x27 character was supposed to slant the other way and got straightened over time for simplicity's sake.

O_o interesting nonetheless

[Ancient Dragon]

Is there any particular reason to start the quoted block with a backtick (`) and end with a single quote (') ? .

I had missed that part of your question. I suppose its just for aesthetics.

[WaltP]

I think it's a throwback from the old typesetting days. when the ' and " were slanted slightly, or they looked like a dot with a tail like in books.