🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <42d3e7$aks@mujibur.inmind.com>,  <mfinney@inmind.com> wrote:
>Yes.  Tabs are simply unacceptable even without the use of
>indentation for control structure.

How so?

>The company for which I current work has had all sorts of
>trouble maintaining readable code due to tabs being different
>in different editors -- our shop policy is now that you cannot
>use an editor in which disabling tabs is unavailable.  That
>does NOT mean that you cannot use the tab KEY, and set
>that for any width you want -- it just can't insert tabs.

Why on earth?  If everyone uses tabs, it is trivial for individuals
to set their own indentation widths.  If everyone uses spaces, it
is impossible to do correctly.

>Its worse than that!  Languages such as COBOL -- of which
>we have a few programs :-( -- requires specific columns
>and tabs messes that up very nicely.  And readability in
>asm files typlically does not use a fixed tab width.

Ahh.  So it's a workaround for broken languages.

>As far as I see it, the only acceptable policy regarding tab
>characters is DON'T!  You can use fixed or variable tabbing
>all you want, just don't put it into the source file!

This is monumentally wasteful.  Tabs are the easiest, fastest, and *correct*
way to express indentation.  That's what they're for.

>Your choice.  But I would rather reduce typing (and since I type at
>85 wpm, it is NOT because I am a lazy typist <g>), reduce code
>clutter so I can read the code more easily, and reduce program
>bugs.  I am used to following coding standards, a minor addition
>over identation rules is NOTHING compared to the benefits.

Nah.  Braces are unambiguous; indentation will get damaged by random edits.

>You DO archive your source code don't you?  Including significant
>temporary versions?  I have also made massive global editing
>mistakes which messed up a program -- but I have never lost
>more than 5 minutes of work in the last 2 decades years due to
>such a mistake.

Lucky you.  What if the change is subtle, accidental, and occurs during
serious restructuring?  No thanks, I'll favor a layout-proof language any
day.

-s
-- 
Peter Seebach - seebs@solon.com || seebs@intran.xerox.com --
C/Unix proto-wizard -- C/Unix questions? Send mail for help.  No, really!
Copyright 1995 Peter Seebach.  Like my work?  Send donations!
The *other* C FAQ - ftp taniemarie.solon.com /pub/c/afq