What's this symbol I see?

I'm a "power Windows/Unix user" who has just recently got a used MacBook Pro for some school work. So not only am I learning to use the Mac but I'm using xCode (the primary reason for getting the Mac in the first place) to learn about designing iOS apps. On the xCode menu bar, there's a shortcut symbol I don't recognize. Here is a screen snapshot:

I don't recognize the first shortcut symbol for the first three menu items. It looks kind of like a backward integration symbol to me. Can anymore enlighten me?

You might want to copy this list until you get use to it. Dan Rodney's List of Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts & Keystrokes

Here

Here ya go.

Thanks!

Thanks for the quick responses, guys! I had no idea that was "option"! It still doesn't make sense to me... "shift" is obvious and "ctrl" is nearly obvious but "option" is not. I guess I'll just have to learn to accept it unless anyone can suggest an association that will make it easy for me to remember.

The option key should also have alt printed at the top of the key that helped me reference it years ago.

MrBruno said:

Thanks for the quick responses, guys! I had no idea that was "option"! It still doesn't make sense to me... "shift" is obvious and "ctrl" is nearly obvious but "option" is not. I guess I'll just have to learn to accept it unless anyone can suggest an association that will make it easy for me to remember.

Click to expand...

Googling it, I found that it probably originates from the symbol for an SPDT switch (Single pole, double throw). "A 2-way changeover swtich directs the flow of current to one of two routes according to its position."

Keyboard symbols

The switch analogy actually does make some sense to me! I will probably be less likely to think the symbol means "fn" if I can remember that.

/ (either/or aka "optional") was already taken