I happen to think ln(x) is a damn fine idea, and log(x) without defining it but nevertheless secretly agreeing it is ln(x), is just obnoxious insistence on some sort of "you know what it means if you are part of the 'in' crowd" status symbol psychological bullshit. You know, where groups like to create pointless initiation rites, like hazing fraternity brothers and creating secret handshakes. Because otherwise they sadly wouldn't be able to feel like Real Men. There is nothing wrong with being less ambiguous and saving a letter at the same time. What's wrong is doing the opposite. And further, I like Knuth's (?) idea of lg(x)=log(x)/log(2) as well. And nobody ever seems to do it, but if anybody wanted to have a special one for log(x)/log(10), such as lt(x), I would have been ok with that too.