allowing braces around suites

[Paul McGuire]

"Kjetil Torgrim Homme" <kjetilho at yksi.ifi.uio.no> wrote in message
news:1r3c28ejis.fsf at rovereto.ifi.uio.no...
> [Isaac To]:
> >
> >   When Python is concerned and Emacs is not, Python only sees there
> >   is indentation, and only indentation, to define the suites.  And
> >   it is also what people will perceive when they stare at the code.
> >   There is nothing to be inconsistent with it.
>
> how long do you have to stare before spotting the bug?
>
>     db.update_name(person)
>     if is_student(person):
>         db.update_courses(person)
>         db.commit()
>
> only students have their names updated.  I wonder why.
>
> real world examples have taken hours or days.
> -- 
> Kjetil T.

Here's a real-world C example, took us several weeks to track down - all the
programmer did was add some debugging code:

  db->startTransaction();
  db->update_name(person);

  if ( is_student(person) )
        log("update student %s", person->name );
        db->update_courses(person);
-------------------------------------------page
break-----------------------------
  db->commit();

Everybody has their courses updated whether students or not - why???

On the hardcopy, the update_courses() call was the last line on the page,
which made it that much harder to spot.

In fact, you can cite examples on this argument in either direction; it is
more than a little condescending to preach that "in the real world, my way
is the right way."

As far as Python goes, I think bracelessness is one of its defining
features; if some day braces were to get included in Python a la C or Java,
then it will cease to be Python.

-- Paul