Python indentation deters newbies?

[Roy Smith]

In article <h4nph0lprkrhj95tecvtmkpl5hm52815j3 at 4ax.com>,
 Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> On 13 Aug 2004 07:15:14 -0700, beliavsky at aol.com declaimed the following
> in comp.lang.python:
> 
> > One of the most commmon reasons programmers cite for not trying Python
> > is that indentation determines the program flow -- they think its
> > weird. I think programmers who actually try Python adapt quickly and
> > do not find the indentation rules to be a problem.
> > 
> 	Teach them FORTRAN-IV...
> 
> 	A source line is limited to 80 characters
> 	Statements start in column 7
> 	Statements end in column 72 (or was it 71)
> 	Columns 73 (72) through 80 can be used for an option sequence
> number
> 	If a statement is too long for one line, you put a continuation
> mark character (any character can be used) in column 6 of the next line,
> then continue with the statement
> 	Put a "C" in column 1 to start a comment line

In some versions, a "D" in column 1 indicated a debug line, which was 
conditionally included depending on some external compile flag.

But, you have to remember that in those days, CPU time was an expensive 
and scarce resource, and languages were designed to be easy for the 
computer to process.  The thought of making the machine do something 
that a person could do themselves was absurd.