you *do* need to use = with var. There are plenty of edge cases that break /var when = isn't used. When your script breaks and you have no clue why, don't come crying to the messageboard.
In any case, it's completely unjustified to ever say "I shouldn't need to follow syntax rules"
As for the claim of inconsistency-- it's not really that inconsistent. "var" is a keyword that is meant to modify the %var = value statement, whereas set is a regular command. I say it's a "keyword" because it's only valid in script (it's not a normal builtin command). This is seen by typing /var %x = 1 in the editbox (one '/'). It will give "VAR unknown command".
So you can either use the syntactic/keyword form to set variables as such (where 'var' modifies the var as a local):
[var] %var = value
or by command form:
/set %var value
Note that it's the syntax that makes it possible to do things like "var %x = 1, %y = 2".. it would be more inconsistent to treat commas as special characters with a regular /command. The syntax distinction makes it more obvious that "," will be treated as a variable definition separation (in clear cases)
So to say 'var %x = 1' is inconsistent would be like saying '%x = 1' is inconsistent.. it's not, it's a distinctly different syntax. And if you don't like using "=" on your variables, then what you really want is the /set command, not the var %x = 1 form.
