[farginay]

I think that it is more than syntactic sugar, it's an affordance. Different notation schemes make it more or less likely to find and code particular solutions. As an example, the syntax of ML-derived languages makes partial applications a much more reasonable choice than they are in Scala or in C-derived languages: the syntax is tuned to them.

Array programming is due for a renaissance. Like any other form of abstraction, we gain leverage once we are able to internalize it and use it. The thinking you mention is, I think, just the normal hurdle of unfamiliarity.

[jheriko]

you make a good point.

i lean heavily towards code being explicit - i think of black boxes and third party libraries as things to grudgingly use because i don't have superhuman productivity for instance, and i prefer if i can debug their internals... i know this is not entirely common.