Tabbing/Spaces

[Tim Peters]

[Tim]
> *Mixing* tabs and spaces is insane in Python source.

[Martin Sandin]
> Insane it might be, but it is what is "recommended" in GvR's style guide:

Note:  that's at

     http://www.python.org/doc/essays/styleguide.html

As the subtitle says, "A Foolish Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Little
Minds".  Mixing tabs and spaces didn't *used* to be insane.  Proof:  Else
Guido wouldn't have written what he did <wink>.  But our Benevolent Dictator
has sanely redefined sanity on this point, although he hasn't yet gotten
around to updating the old style guide.

More recent is the short blurb for patch contributors, at

    http://www.python.org/patches/style.html

That's a bit out of date too, but is a better reflection of the Unchangeable
Truth today.

> ...
> Me? A tab is 4 spaces, I hard tab indent my code. It's the easiest
> and fastest way for moving my code tab levels.

I assume you're using a supernaturally feeble editor, then.  That's fine!
What you do in your own bedroom with the lights off isn't our concern.
Well, at least not yet -- now that Guido is married, I hear he's thinking
about guiding people in more aspects of their lives <wink>.

"guiding"-is-a-contraction-of-"guido-ing"-so-it's-his-right-ly y'rs  - tim