The letter ℘: name and origin? (2017)

One thing I like about programming languages is that they usually constrain themselves to strings of ASCII characters, instead of using lots of more or less inscrutable symbols like mathematics does. For example, where a mathematician writes "Σ", a programmer simply writes "sum".

You are holding up code as an example of clarity and scrutability, and because it is mostly restricted to ASCII? Hex code is even simpler - only 16 characters.

> where a mathematician writes "Σ", a programmer simply writes "sum".

Communities develop shorthand and terms of art for things they write a lot. Mathematicians need to write lots of sums; programmers have their own shorthand and terminology.

Hex code doesn't allow you to write words. And "sum" is simply better than "Σ". There is no way to know in advance what the latter means, while for the former understanding of verbal English is enough. Mathematicians basically use an iconographic writing system like Chinese.

We can think of many other strings used by programmers that are not common English, and many strings used by mathematicians that are.

I think the difference is that you are a programmer and not a mathematician (I'm guessing) and are saying, effectively, that what you are subjectively familiar with is objectively more universally understood.

This argument works both ways, apart from it's the mathematicians who are wrong.