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Mathematica is what I thought a computer would be like before I could really use one: A tool for arithmetics and math. Instead we get text processing, kitten p

Mathematica is what I thought a computer would be like before I could really use one: A tool for arithmetics and math. Instead we get text processing, kitten photos and porn videos. Not that I have anything against either of these, but it was still a mild shock to find that the `ln` command does not, by a long shot, compute the natural logarithm in Unix. OK, even Mathematica makes me alias `Ln` to `Log`. So much for the principle of least surprise. Still, given that you need extra software to make your computer actually compute, Mathematica is my tool of choice.

Smaug123 3y ago
`Ln` isn't a built-in (and is syntax-highlighted as "undefined"), and searching the docs for "Ln" (or looking up the symbol with F12) gives as the first hit "Log: Log[z] gives the natural logarithm of z (logarithm to base e)". Given that in my experience mathematicians use "log" rather than "ln" (who uses base-10 logs in mathematics anyway?), is there any possible way they could have made this less surprising?
- reikonomusha 3y ago
  > Who uses base-10 logs in mathematics anyway? Any applied mathematician working with decibels (as in acoustics, electronics, optics, ...), for example.
- hollandheese 3y ago
  >Given that in my experience mathematicians use "log" rather than "ln" I really don't know anyone but statisticians who do that. Everyone in my department (mathematics) and ever I've ever worked with has always used just "ln" for the natural logarithm. Why wouldn't you, it's one less character?