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Is the "O" in OO7 a letter or number?


13 replies to this topic

#1 MovieManOO7

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 04:09 AM

This is probably quite a silly question yet for all my life I've known OO7 to be represented with two letter o's and not the number zero. However, recently I've questioned this since the official site is www.007.com with two zeroes rather than than letters. Is that only because it is a popular mistake many people make or is it that if they type out the address with lower case o's it just will not look right (i.e. oo7)?

Personally I'm pretty sure the official version is still spelled with the letters rather than the numbers (hence the saying "Double-O-Seven" which actually somewhat complies with the head of sections using letters in the early films and original novels).

Thank you in advance for your replies!

#2 SnakeEyes

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 04:22 AM

It's numbers, the 'oh' in Double-Oh-Seven is just a common way to say zero. Someone will probably now dispute this :)

#3 freemo

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 04:57 AM

They're numbers. 007. In the Fleming books they're numbers, which is as good as evidence as any.

I think I remember reading that Fleming got the number from a Rudyard Kipling short story about a train that bears the number "007", but that could just be one fo those things that "sound true but aren't".

Like SnakeEyes said, "oh" is a common way of saying zero. When I read a phone number, I say "oh" as opposed to "zero".

EDIT - When both letters and numbers are used IDs, the letter 'O' is generally not used because it looks like '0'.

#4 Tarl_Cabot

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 05:01 AM

"double o Seven" is less of a mouthful than "Double zero seven"; zero has one extra sylable. :)

#5 Blofeld's Cat

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 06:45 AM

Well, the designation is a number, but it's said as "double-Oh-seven." It's even copyright protected that way too.

#6 Qwerty

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 06:54 AM

I always type it as 007, as I see it in the novels as well.

#7 Bondian

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Posted 25 November 2004 - 06:58 AM

Here one from the archieves!. :)

#8 Mister Asterix

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Posted 26 November 2004 - 01:21 AM

[mra]Right. Like I send in the other thread that Bondian pointed out the end of the argument should be the line from From Russia With Love where Fleming calls the questioned characters

#9 Bondian

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Posted 26 November 2004 - 01:28 AM

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='26 November 2004 - 01:21'][mra]Right. Like I send in the other thread that Bondian pointed out the end of the argument should be the line from From Russia With Love where Fleming calls the questioned characters

#10 Bond is back

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Posted 02 December 2004 - 01:01 AM

It's OO7 when written,

It's 'double oh seven' when spoken,

But when described as a numerical unit it would be 'zero zero seven' or 'nought nought seven', depending on your preference.

I think the reality is 'double oh seven' sounds infinitely better than 'oh oh seven' or 'zero zero seven'. My guess is Fleming would have told the producers how he wanted Bond's code number to be said, and that's why Moneypenny and M refer to Bond as 'double oh seven' in Dr No.

Edited by Bond is back, 02 December 2004 - 01:02 AM.


#11 Righty007

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Posted 02 December 2004 - 03:34 AM

Good: 007

Bad: OO7

Ugly: OO7

#12 Qwerty

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Posted 02 December 2004 - 03:37 AM

The Bad and Ugly look quite similar. :)

#13 Mister Asterix

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Posted 02 December 2004 - 02:30 PM

It's OO7 when written,

View Post


Wrong.

#14 Bond is back

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Posted 03 December 2004 - 02:14 AM

Well I just wrote it so it must be!!!!!!!

LOL