Deprecate tabs for indenting (was Re: Indenting with tabs vs spaces)

[Steve Lamb]

On 4 Dec 2001 15:01:08 -0600, Chris Spencer <clspence at one.net> wrote:
> 	Some people don't WANT to look at 8 spaces for an indent.  Or 2 or 3.

    And?

> With the tab convention, you can set your tab width to be whatever you want, so
> people who like looking at 8 space widths can do that, and people who like 2
> space widths can do that too.

    Which breaks when the code is read elsewhere, C&P elsewhere, etc.  Not
that you've addressed that at all.

> 	The point you seem to miss is that not everyone has the same ideas or
> comfort levels with different indentation conventions.  With tabbing, you don't
> have to worry about it.  Just set it to whatever you like.

    And the point you've missed is that when people can set it to whatever
they like it destroys any consistancy and readability everywhere else but
their term anyway.

> 	Tabs work for me and for my development group.  They don't work for you.
> Guess what, we both can do our own thing.  

    No, we cannot.  For the first time we try to use anything from your end of
the spectrum it all goes to crap.

> 	I see, preference doesn't matter as long as the convention matches YOUR
> preference.  To hell with everyone else, right?

    No.  In fact if the conventioned doesn't conform to my preference it is
convention that matters.  That might just be why Python is the only language
that I program in where I set the indent level to 4 spaces instead of my
normal preference of *2*.  IE, bucko, the convention doesn't match my
preference.  

    Point is that tabbers keep saying that one can separate style from content
where the spacers keep pointing RIGHTLY SO that there is no separation when it
comes certain code constructs.  What's the tabber answer to that "Well, uh, I
never have a problem."  Nice comeback.

> 	Just because you like to work a certain way does not mean that you have
> become God and will decree that your *preference* is the only way to do things.
> Step back from your ego.

    It isn't my *preference*.  Furthermore I am giving valid reasons why it
FAILS.  I'm not stating "Well, it should be this way because I like it."  No,
it is "It should be this way because in this case, this case and this case
which are not uncommon it fails."  The former is a subjective argument and
baseless.  The latter is an objective argument which stands up to reason.

    Now, are you going to address those problems or continue to scream about
your *preferences* working in cases where they clearly do not?

-- 
         Steve C. Lamb         | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
         ICQ: 5107343          | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
    To email: Don't despair!   |  -- Lenny Nero, Strange Days
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