# Warning against Unicode confusables

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/warning-against-unicode-confusables/108734>\
**Category:** Internals & Design\
**Tags:** unicode\
**Created:** [January 9, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/warning-against-unicode-confusables/108734 "2024-01-09T02:19:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![DNF](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/dnf/32/10191_2.png) [@DNF](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/DNF)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 6:22am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/warning-against-unicode-confusables/108734/2 "2024-01-09T06:22:06Z")

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> [@Syntax: Escape hatch for unicode haters](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/syntax-escape-hatch-for-unicode-haters/108363/43):
>
> I think you know well that that is not what I am concerned about.

I certainly do not know that. You’ve been consistent over time in arguing that unicode characters in code are bad in general, and have repeatedly dismissed _any_ advantage to using them. And now, tellingly, you are posting a table of characters instead of real-world code to prove your point.

> [@Syntax: Escape hatch for unicode haters](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/syntax-escape-hatch-for-unicode-haters/108363/44):
>
> I am not arguing against unicode _per se_.

The arguments you advance very clearly dismiss unicode _per se_, even to the point of saying any sort of contact with it is unacceptable to you.

To both of you: if you think that unicode is fine, but some people over-use it, you should make that clear. You’ve both been painting it in an aggressively negative light, even though almost all uses are of the sort I’m describing: a few Greek letters here or there.

There’s no disagreement that unicode can be used to write bad code. But if your goals are actually “to promote responsible use”, then you should both change tack, the current arguments and tone, and the repetitiveness of these attacks, are getting increasingly tiresome and aggravating, which is also why my hackles get raised.

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