I agree that it adds to the confusion, but note that `file1>file2` also wouldn’t work (in the sense of “send the output currently going to file1 to file2”) and

I agree that it adds to the confusion, but note that `file1>file2` also wouldn’t work (in the sense of “send the output currently going to file1 to file2”) and isn’t symmetrical in that sense as well. Or take `/dev/stderr>/dev/stdout` as the more direct equivalent.