The discussion surrounding "The Tensor Cookbook" highlights the challenges many face in understanding tensor operations, particularly when working with multiple tensors of varying dimensions. Users express confusion regarding tensor notation, operations like slicing and contracting, and the added complexity of padding masks. While some appreciate the new visual notation presented in the cookbook, others advocate for the established index notation due to its familiarity and prevalence in mathematical education. The contrast between the graphic representations and traditional methods raises questions about accessibility and learning curves for those in deep learning and related fields. The value proposition of the cookbook appears to lie in its clearer visualization methods, though skepticism exists regarding its necessity given the effectiveness of existing techniques like einsum. Overall, there's a call for a balance between innovation in notation and accessibility for practitioners.