79 chars or more?

Terry Reedy tjreedy at udel.edu
Tue Aug 17 14:57:22 EDT 2010


On 8/17/2010 3:47 AM, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:
> In message<mailman.2212.1282012525.1673.python-list at python.org>, AK wrote:
>
>> As monitors are getting bigger, is there a general change in opinion on
>> the 79 chars limit in source files?
>
> WHAT 79-character limit in source files?

Only for stdlib. Python itself has no particular limit.

The dev discussed the issue perhaps a year ago. Enough people wanted or 
needed the current stdlib limit that they decided to stick with it.

A reason not mentioned much is that some people have trouble following 
packed lines that are too much longer. Wide-page textbooks routinely put 
text in two columns for easier reading. This is less of a factor with 
jagged edge text, but if the limit were increased to say 150, there 
would be people writing multi-line 150 char wide text blocks.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy




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