Tabs versus Spaces in Source Code

[achates]

Iain King wrote:

>python -tt

Indeed. I reckon the consensus here (to the extent that there is any!)
is that it would be better if this was Python's default behaviour.

The argument (not advanced by Iain but by others in this thread) that:
    novices will mix tabs and spaces => we should all use spaces only
is clearly false by symmetry.

An alternative solution to this issue would be to write an editor
plugin which converted between space-indented and tab-indented Python
source files on opening *and back again* on writing or closing. Then we
would have:

Case 1: you send me a space-indented file.
    My editor opens the file, finds that it is space-indented,
calculates the indentation level of each line and converts it to the
corresponding number of tabs, and then writes that to a temporary file
which it then displays for editing. On writing, it converts indentation
back to spaces and writes to the original file.

Case 2: I send you a tab-indented file.
    As Case 1 with s/tab/space/; s/My/Your/

Case 3: You send me a file with mixed tab/space indentation
    Everything borks, as it should.

It's horrible but at least it would insulate me from the greater
hideousness of having to hit the spacebar like a madman at the start of
every line of code. I can even see how to get it to work in vi at
least.

Just trying to be constructive!

Not that it's relevant, but I've never actually encountered anyone who
mixed tabs and spaces.. I've lived a sheltered life I guess.