I think that the multiplication and division blocks:

(() * ())
(() / ())

be renamed to use the mathematical symbols:

(() × () :: operators)
(() ÷ () :: operators)

as they are, imo, clearer. (Many text-based programming languages use the same symbols as Scratch because most keyboards don't have the symbols – this isn't a problem for Scratch, because you don't have to type the names of the blocks. It may be a problem for scratchblocks though.)

Backwards-compatibility isn't a problem – the blocks should keep the same opcodes.

Changing the way the blocks look is, to be blunt, a waste of time to implement. Although, at the same time, could help the younger and/ or newer demographics on Scratch. I guess what I'm getting at is a partial support. I don't see it being useful to many other Scratchers, but possibly being useful to the Newer Scratchers.

* is close enough to “x” (or rather that symbol)
/ is also a mathematical symbol that means division - and it's actually used more often.

Almost all Languages where you do have to type use the standard * and / for multiplication and division, if you insert test values, you'll figure that out quickly enough. Besides, right clicking on the block yields “help” which tells you what operation it does.

For those who no support, why not change

(()mod())

to

(()%()::operators)

That one makes sense to me, may as well follow through with the same naming logic for all of them.

So I finally found the original topic.

It was really hard to search for because Google ignores “*”, “/”, “×”, and “÷” - I had to search for my old username and the username of this other guy that I got in a really heated discussion with.

There was certainly a lot of argument about it…

No support.
Since programming is a professional field, you can consider Scratch grade school.
The * and / symbols are used in real code, therefore it's only reasonable to have that for Scratch.

Sheep_maker wrote:

For those who no support, why not change

(()mod())

to

(()%()::operators)

If you know what mod means, you know what % means.
Y'know what, let's change everything into their technical names!
that defeats the purpose

But so do * and /

Uh yeah, no.
* and / are simple concepts in advanced format, while stuff like % are complex altogether. It's pointless to change stuff like that.

No support, many people only know the ASCII symbols and it's not found on most keyboards (such as US keyboard)

IronBit_Studios wrote:

No support.
Since programming is a professional field, you can consider Scratch grade school.

Some programming languages use * and /. So why does that mean that Scratch should?

The * and / symbols are used in real code, therefore it's only reasonable to have that for Scratch.

…Some real code uses (, ), [, ], {, }, :, &, \, ^, % and ;, therefore Scratch should use them, right?

IronBit_Studios wrote:

If you know what mod means, you know what % means.

Knowing what mod means does not at all mean you know what the C/C++/Java/JavaScript/Python/Ruby/etc. meaning for the percentage sign!!

Because C/C++/Java/JavaScript/Python/Ruby/etc. does something does not mean that way is perfect.

Jonathan50 wrote:

Some programming languages use * and /. So why does that mean that Scratch should?

These are simple normal symbols, usable for programming and simple (not official) math. × and ÷ are standard, math symbols, not available on keyboards.

24691357 wrote:

Jonathan50 wrote:

Some programming languages use * and /. So why does that mean that Scratch should?

These are simple normal symbols, usable for programming and simple (not official) math. × and ÷ are standard, math symbols, not available on keyboards.

But you don't need to type the name of the blocks.

TheMonsterOfTheDeep wrote:

So I finally found the original topic.

It was really hard to search for because Google ignores “*”, “/”, “×”, and “÷” - I had to search for my old username and the username of this other guy that I got in a really heated discussion with.

There was certainly a lot of argument about it…

Oops duplicate.

Or is it, because that thread doesn't suggest ÷?

TheMonsterOfTheDeep wrote:

So I finally found the original topic.

It was really hard to search for because Google ignores “*”, “/”, “×”, and “÷” - I had to search for my old username and the username of this other guy that I got in a really heated discussion with.

There was certainly a lot of argument about it…

Thanks for the link! It does look like this is a duplicate topic so I'll close it to keep the conversation all in one place.

Please use the existing topic in the link above.