Indentation and grouping proposal

[Tim Peters]

[R Wentworth, suggests "_(" and ")_" as alternative grouping constructs]

Note that this won't fly, since "_(" already has a meaning in the grammar
(call the function whose name is _).

> [careful argument & analysis deleted]
> ...
> I haven't looked at the Python parser, but naively, this sort
> of "enhancement" would seem to be relatively easy.  If there were
> official blessing for the concept, I'd be willing to look into
> doing the necessary work.

Guido's last public word on the subject is in Tools/Scripts/pindent.py.

Go way back (pre-DejaNews; in python.org's archives, though), and you'll
find some words, and even some patches to implement alternatives; e.g., see
Donald Beaudry's

    http://www.python.org/search/hypermail/python-1994q2/0763.html

The parser hasn't changed all that much since then, although it's likely
changed a lot more than Guido's opinion <wink>.

IIRC, Steven Majewski christened the alternatives "frowning Guidos", in
honor of everyone's favorite some 5 years ago:

    if whatever :(
    print "no whitespace!" ):

or-was-that-"(:"-and-":)"?-ly y'rs  - tim