On 2019-01-12, James Kass via Unicode <unicode@unicode.org> wrote: > This is a math formula: > a + b = b + a > ... where the estimable "mathematician" used Latin letters from ASCII as > though they were math alphanumerics variables.
Yup, and it's immediately understandable by anyone reading on any computer that understands ASCII. That's why mathematicians write like that in plain text. > This is an italicized word: > πππππ π‘ππππππ¦ > ... where the "geek" hacker used Latin italics letters from the math > alphanumeric range as though they were Latin italics letters. It's a sequence of question marks unless you have an up to date Unicode font set up (which, as it happens, I don't for the terminal in which I read this mailing list). Since actual mathematicians don't use the Unicode math alphabets, there's no strong incentive to get updated fonts. > Where's the harm? You lose your audience for no reasons other than technogeekery. -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
