Tab wars revisited (was Re: Python indentation)

[Christopher T King]

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004, Jarek Zgoda wrote:

> Istvan Albert <ialbert at mailblocks.com> pisze:
> 
> >> Ambiguity sucks but a SPACE is a SPACE is a SPACE.
> > 
> > Is there a reason why a TAB is not a TAB is not a TAB?
> 
> Because TAB is TAB and not 8 * SPACE nor 4 * SPACE nor 2 * SPACE. In
> editor you don't see a TAB, you see 8 * SPACE or 4 * SPACE or 2 * SPACE
> or any number of spaces you set in your editor options. There's no

Which is exactly why I use tabs -- if I don't like the indentation width, 
I just change and option and BAM! it's changed! Whereas with spaces, I'm 
stuck with looking at one- or eight- character indents, rather than my 
preferred tab width setting.

My other reason for using tabs is that my preferred editor (JOE)  
couldn't unindent space-based indents prior to its 3.0 release (very
recent). Now my excuse is WHAT IF I HAVE TO USE NOTEPAD?!?! :)