Python indentation (3 spaces)

[Peter J. Holzer]

On 2018-10-08 10:36:21 +1100, Chris Angelico wrote:
> TBH, I think that tab width should be up to the display, just like the
> font. You're allowed to view code in any font that makes sense for
> you, and you should be able to view code with any indentation that
> makes sense for you. If someone submits code and says "it looks
> tidiest in Times New Roman 12/10pt", I'm sure you'd recommend making
> sure it doesn't matter [1]; if someone submits code and says "you have
> to set your tabs equal to 5 spaces or it looks ugly", you'd say the
> same, right?
> 
> How wide my indents are on my screen shouldn't influence your screen
> or your choices.

Theoretically I would agree with you: Just use a single tab per
indentation level and let the user decide whether that's displayed as 2,
3, 4, or 8 spaces or 57 pixels or whatever. 

In practice it doesn't work in my experience. There is always someone in
a team who was "just testing that new editor" and replaced all tabs
with spaces (or vice versa) or - worse - just some of them. It is safer
to disallow tabs completely and mandate a certain number of spaces per
indentation level.

        hp

-- 
   _  | Peter J. Holzer    | we build much bigger, better disasters now
|_|_) |                    | because we have much more sophisticated
| |   | hjp at hjp.at         | management tools.
__/   | http://www.hjp.at/ | -- Ross Anderson <https://www.edge.org/>
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