asterisk (idea)

*

Asterisk is the symbol found on the same key as number 8 on your keyboard.

In C and C++ programming languages, * has many different uses:

• C-Style comments.
• Declaration of Pointer variables.
• Dereferencing pointers.
• As a Multiplication symbol.
• In Format string in printf(...) for Width or Precision.

Also used under DOS and UNIX based operating systems to match anything in filename searches. e.g.,

C:\>dir a*.*

or 

$ ls -l a*

Also used by a most of online search engines to specify "All and any characters".

Since times immemorial, used to specify footnotes, along with several other characters, associated with certain inline sentences/words in printed text.

And oh yes - in Lifts (Elevators in USA), ground floor (First Floor in USA) is marked by an Asterisk.

Its the most useful symbol on a keyboard or what?