Maintaining Maximum Line Length When Using Tabs Instead of Spaces?

[Ben Finney]

Aahan Krish <krish at aahan.me> writes:

> It's just that I don't like arbitrary rules. IMHO, spaces aren't
> "better than" tabs, and people should refrain from saying that.

Simplicity has value.

The rule “use four spaces for indentation” is simple to stick to, and
simple to obtain sane display results by default.

Using U+0009 characters for indentation is objectively more complex,
because of the addition of all the special treatment of U+0009
characters, and especially the admonitions needed to readers not to use
the attractive editor features of customising U+0009 rendering.

So, you may decide the simplicity is less valuable than the ability to
change the rendering of this special U+0009 character. But, if one
values that simplicity, then U+0020 characters *are* better than U+0009
characters for indentation.

So, no, I will not refrain from saying that.

-- 
 \       “You can be a victor without having victims.” —Harriet Woods, |
  `\                                                         1927–2007 |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney