Oops, the HN audience really likes icons.
> 1. Can't pronounce them, In the case of Unicode, you can use the code name > 2. type them in text, In the case of Unicode, you have the code point > 3. send them in text email, Same as #2 > 4. spell them, Same as #1 (though why you'd want to spell a glyph is beyond me) > 5. sort them, Same as #2 > 6. look them up in a dictionary Databases for Unicode and icons already exist > 7. search on them. Same as #6 > 8. Have…
For people who don't know English, between an undefined icon and an English word they don't know, which is easier to decode, get defined? The English word can be defined in a dictionary and, then, readily translated to nearly any language on the planet. Nothing similar is available for icons.