[layer8]

> - practically need to buy a new keyboard to type all the symbols like '≈', '≠', 'ƒ', etc

You just need to configure a Compose key. I encourage everyone to learn how to do this, it opens up a huge character repertoire that can be easily remembered how to type.

[aragonite]

This. Although the most ergonomic compose key sequences tend to be assigned to accented characters rather than symbols, so IMO not very convenient for programming.

On Windows I use Capslock (and/or the right Shift key) as a custom-defined modifier to combine with character keys to enter my most frequently used unicode characters for programming personal projects.

Lots of fun characters available for use even when you're dealing with a language where identifiers are limited to ID_Start and ID_Continue (e.g. Javascript), for example:

  ⴵ ⵛ ꘜ ⵣ ꕤ ꖜ 
  ꘖ ꧮ ⴲ ꘖ Ⰴ Ⰺ

[JackMorgan]

Fair enough, but having to always remember to configure that on all my work machines is kind of a pain. Although I do use an ergodox with QMK firmware a lot so I suppose I could support that inside the keyboard.

But then my 5 work laptops all need the same thing configured for working on the train

Here's hoping someone talks him into just supporting normal ASCII symbols.

[layer8]

I see it as part of the suite of tools that one ends up installing on all client machines anyway. Most people don’t use just a stock OS installation without any additions.

Also, some editors have this built in, like Vim with Ctrl+K [0], and a Misty IDE presumably would have some equivalent.

ASCII is quite limiting, so it would be nice if we could move a little bit out of that lowest common denominator.

[0] https://vimhelp.org/digraph.txt.html