AutCode™ 2.25 (revised) was inspired by Joel Smith's Autism Spectrum Code 1.0 (ASC 1.0). (Smith also designed JTalk, an outstanding freeware speech synthesizing program for nonspeaking autistics and others.) ASC, which is supported by Jeremy Reece's decoder, was originally posted to the Usenet newsgroup, alt.support.autism. ASC was itself based largely on Robert Hayden's The Geek Code 3.12, which has its own decoders here and here.

Jay, a guy I met on Wrong Planet, has graciously, and without even being asked, compiled this decoder for use with AutCode. After producing your own code, you can test it with the decoder. Obviously, you can also use the decoder to decipher the AutCodes of others.

The purpose of AutCode is to provide a human markup language™, consisting of symbolic notation, on how the texts, or narratives, of individuals may partially be structured. (Markup languages precede computers by a few hundred years.) The resulting code can be placed into email, message board, and newsgroup signatures, included in personal profiles, or used on blogs and other web pages.

I have not attempted to faithfully reproduce the Geek Code syntax in AutCode. My concern, as a sociologist, is with precision, and loaded, leading, and humorous categories, used in Geek Code, are not found in AutCode. However, after reviewing that earlier code, I ended up incorporating two Geek Code elements not used in ASC. They will be noted.

As to the categories chosen, while the coding is almost entirely original, I kept Smith's basic traits, sometimes with new designations, and I added several new ones. Still, my own personal interests played almost no role in which traits I included. For instance, I like Star Trek, but I am neither a gamer, an anime fan, nor a cook. Nonetheless, I integrated all four into the markup.

The traits are listed sequentially, as in my own AutCode markup (below). If you are familiar with Geek Code, you will notice that I have adopted its block format (not used by ASC). It can be helpful for distinguishing AutCode (including by version number) from other coding systems, cannibalized out of Geek Code, which are seen throughout the Internet.

There are no spaces in the code for a single trait and a single space between traits. All elements of the syntax are case sensitive.

@ (at sign) placed after a trait's specific variable indicates that it is flexible, relative, might change over time and in different situations, etc.

˜ (tilde), while similar to the usage of @, is placed after a trait's specific variable to indicate an approximation. Therefore, a person might write MTu˜ if riding a bus or coach was the closest option available, but the precise mode of transportation was not listed (a horse and buggy?). This variable was not used in either Geek Code or ASC.

* (asterisk) placed after a trait's specific variable indicates that there is no option offered which even approximates one's own situation, namely, none of the above. For example, a person might use OC* if, occupationally, she is a migrant worker.

() (parentheses) placed after a trait's specific variable, like (+), indicates a range. For instance, MU+(^) would be a person who ranges between liking music and performing. () is specific, while @ is flexible. However, @ can also be placed after the () to indicate a flexible range. Also, multiple variables can be used to broaden the range. For instance, MTf(ud) would refer to a person whose mode of transportation ranges between walking, riding a bus, and driving a land vehicle.

& (ampersand) placed after a trait's specific variable is used to indicate that additional information is required to clarify it. For instance, a person might select HT-& if the individual was, not only short, but, say, a little person or an African pygmy. In other words, most people would not immediately associate being short in stature with either dwarfism or pygmyism. This variable was not included in either Geek Code or ASC.

? (question mark) placed after a trait's specific variable indicates that the individual has insufficient knowledge to provide a score or is undecided. So, SR? would be someone who was uncertain regarding her views of the sacred. VS? would be a person who had not yet made up her mind on her value system.

$ (dollar sign) placed after a trait's specific variable indicates that the trait strongly influences how the person makes a living. For instance, SV+$ would refer to a person who makes a living from being a savant. MU^$ would be a professional (or semiprofessional) musician. This Geek Code variable was not a part of ASC.

> (greater than) placed after a trait's specific variable indicates a rating which a person would like to have. For instance, MTf>d would be a person whose main mode of transportation is walking, but who would like to be driving a vehicle in the future.

! (exclamation point) placed before a trait is used to draw attention to one's unwillingness to respond. For instance, !ID would reflect an objection to specifying one's ideology.

All traits (with their specific variables) are optional. Use only the traits you like, but, in order to avoid confusion, please provide them in the alphabetical order given here.

1. AC for autistic category: ACa (Asperger's autism or syndrome), ACk (Kanner's autism), ACp (PDD-NOS in the DSM-IV-TR or PDD-unspecified in the ICD-10), ACn (nonverbal learning disorder, also known as right-hemisphere learning disorder), Rett syndrome (ACr), ACc (childhood disintegrative disorder), ACs (semantic-pragmatic disorder), ACm (multiple-complex developmental disorder), or ACj (just autistic; don't like categorizing autism).
   You may, if you wish, add a % (percent sign) for a clinical diagnosis or a # (number sign, pound sign, or hash) for no clinical diagnosis. For instance, ACp% would be a person clinically diagnosed with PDD-NOS; ACa#>% would be an undiagnosed aspie, or Asperger's autistic, who would like to be diagnosed in the future; whereas ACa%(k%p%) would be a person who has had diagnoses ranging between Asperger's autism, Kanner's autism, and PDD-NOS.
2. AN for anime: AN- (has no interest), AN= (is moderately interested), AN+ (is very interested), or AN^ (is a cosplayer or goes to anime conventions).
3. BD for birthday: Include month (two digits), followed by date (two digits), followed by year (four digits). For instance, I was born on February 27, 1956, so mine would read BD02271956.
4. CA for culinary arts (cooking): CA- (not much interest), CA= (an average level of interest), CA+ (more than an average level of interest), or CA= (very interested).
5. CS for computer skills: CS- (not too great), CS= (average), CS+ (good), or CS^ (excellent).
6. ED for highest level of education completed: EDn (has not completed high school, secondary school, or an equivalent), EDh (completed high school, secondary school, or an equivalent), EDt (trade school), EDs (some university-level education), EDa (Associate or Foundation degree), EDb (Bachelor's degree), EDm (any graduate degree, excluding a Doctorate or Postdoctoral work, such as the Master's and Specialist degrees and the Postgraduate certificate), or EDd (Doctorate and/or Postdoctoral work, including the Habilitation).
7. FR for facial recognition: FR- (poor), FR= (average), FR+ (good), or FR^ (excellent).
8. GD for gender: GDf (female), GDm (male), GDt (transgendered, transsexual, transvestite, psychologically androgynous, genderqueer, etc.), or GDi (intersexed or hermaphroditic).
9. GM for computer, video, or role-playing games: GM- (never or rarely plays them), GM= (plays at least one but not very well), GM+ (plays one or more reasonably well), or GM^ (excellent at one or more).
10. HS for housing: HSa (personal apartment/flat), HSh (private house), HSp (with one's parents), HSd (university dormitory or residence hall), HSb (boarding house), HSr (with one or more room mates), HSt (rents a room), or HSl (homeless).
11. HT for height: HT- (shorter than average), HT= (average height), or HT+ (taller than average).
12. ID for ideology: IDr (right, including authoritarian), IDc (conservative, such as social conservative, neoconservative, and paleoconservative), IDm (middle of the road), IDb (libertarian), IDi (illuminati or other conspiracist), IDu (populist), IDm (communitarian), IDp (progressive or liberal), IDg (green), or IDl (left, including socialist, Marxist, and left-anarchist).
13. IN for inertia: IN- (hard for me to get moving at all), IN= (can sometimes get moving, as with important tasks, like paying bills), IN+ (can get moving most of the time), or IN^ (is always on the go).
14. LA for language arts (including writing): LA- (not much interest), LA= (an average level of interest), LA+ (more than an average level of interest), or LA= (very interested).
15. LG for logic: LG- (does not have a very logical mind), LG= (has an average logical mind), LG+ (has a good logical mind), or LG^ (has an excellent logical mind).
16. MA for math: MA- (poor at math), MA= (average at math), MA+ (good at math), or MA^ (excellent at math).
17. MT for typical mode of transportation: MTd (driving a land vehicle), MTp (passenger in an automobile, an SUV, a van, etc.), MTx (taxicab), MTu (bus or coach), MTt (train or trolly), MTa (by air), MTm (motorcycle, motor scooter, or moped), MTf (on foot), MTw (wheelchair), MTy (bicycle), MTr (adult tricycle), or MTb (boat).
18. MU for music: MU- (is not much interested in music), MU= (sometimes likes listening to music), MU+ (listens to music a great deal), or MU^ (is a performer).
19. NT for neurotypical emulation: NT- (unable or unwilling to successfully emulate neurotypicals), NT= (can sometimes emulate neurotypicals), or NT+ (usually appears to be neurotypical), or NT^ (is indistinguishable from neurotypicals in public).
20. OC for occupation: OCf (work full-time), OCp (work part-time), OCs (supported by spouse, parents, student loans or scholarships, etc.), or OCa (receiving public assistance).
21. PA for performing arts: PA- (not much interest), PA= (an average level of interest), PA+ (more than an average level of interest), or PA= (very interested).
22. PN for personal name recollection: PN- (poor), PN= (average), PN+ (good), or PN^ (excellent).
23. RR for romantic relationships: RRm (married), RRu (in a civil union), RRc (cohabiting or living together), RPr (in a relationship), RRf (dates frequently), RRs (dates sometimes), RRi (dates infrequently), or RRn (never dates).
24. SC for sensory concerns: SC- (none to speak of), SC= (maybe just a couple of sensory concerns), SC+ (a few sensory concerns), or SC^ (serious sensory concerns).
25. SD for preferred style of dress: SDf (formal attire), SDi (informal attire), SDn (nudist), or SDs (the same clothes day in and day out).
26. SI for special interests: SI followed by a number (indicating the individual's usual number of special interests at any one time), such as SI4, which would be 4 special interests.
27. SO for sexual orientation: SOs (straight), SOg (gay or lesbian), SOb (bisexual), SOp (pansexual, also known as omnisexual or anthrosexual), SOa (asexual), or SOu (autosexual).
28. SR for sacred: SRm (monotheist, henotheist, monolatrist, or trinitarian), SRu (duotheist, including bitheist and ditheist, or polytheist), SRa (atheist, agnostic, apatheist, nontheist, or humanist), SRw (Wiccan, neopagan, pagan, or animist), SRd (deist, pandeist, or panendeist), or SRp (pantheist or panentheist).
29. ST for Star Trek: ST- (has no interest), ST= (is moderately interested), ST+ (is a trekker), or ST^ (is a trekkie and either goes to Star Trek conventions or would like to do so).
30. SV for savant: SV- (is not an autistic savant) or SV+ (is an autistic savant in one or more areas).
31. VA for visual, plastic, and textile arts: VA- (not much interest), VA= (an average level of interest), VA+ (more than an average level of interest), or VA= (very interested).
32. VB for verbal: VB- (is not verbal), VB= (is sometimes verbal), VB+ (is verbal), or VB^ (has the gift of gab).
33. VS for value system: VSn (neurodiversity), VSc (hoping for a cure), or VSs (autistic supremacy).
34. WT for weight: WT- (underweight), WT= (average weight), or WT+ (overweight).

Copyright © 2008 Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. All rights reserved.