Lots of great insight here. I can certainly see value in both "languages" as Ed says. However, I have to completely disagree with Bernie that there's essentially no learning curve with TAB. I have to look at a diagram, translate a numeral into fret position, probably look at my fingers, and then back at the sheet, get the next one, etc. That's why I was comparing it to chord diagrams. A chord diagram gives me a picture of the fretboard with dots where my fingers go. TAB sort of does that, except the numbers are symbolic, not pictorial. Since notes on a staff are also symbolic, that part seems similar to notation.
It does seem like TAB has the advantage of being pictorial with regard to which string to use, even if not for which fret to use, but notation would have the edge on how much information can be conveyed. I got worried because the TAB explanation mentioned that it can't tell you anything about note duration, which would be a definite disadvantage, especially if you've never heard the tune. I guess that's where ear training completes the triumvirate.
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