Latex is used because writing math in latex is very good, and despite how everything else (like tables and figures) is so bad.

That's why people take the math subset of latex and use it in other contexts - exactly like this product.

I agree that tables are not great, but figures? Seems to work pretty well, better than word for sure.

I still find it easier to align tables with numbers in TeX on the decimal point than in anything else.

How is this even achieved with HTML or Word?

Eg. variable width numbers like

           4.53
          13.98765
           7
  -1,000,234.76
Not perfect in TeX either, but at least possible.

The irony of your comment...

If you are not referring to the use of exaggerated examples to more clearly show the point, I wonder what do you refer to?