🚀 go-pugleaf

Would someone give me a few rules of thumb w.r.t. ignorable whitespace?

In LaTeX, I wrote something like:

    \begin{picture}(850,1100)

    \multiput(12,0)(200,0){2}{                  % 2 columns
        \multiput(0,883)(0,-133){7}{            % 7 rows
            \framebox(200,133){\parbox[b]{1.75in}{yakyak}}
        }
    }

    \end{picture}

but the frameboxes were about a character space right of where I wanted
them (relative to edge of the picture box).  Inserting a \noindent,
like:

    \multiput(12,0)(200,0){2}{                  % 2 columns
        \multiput(0,883)(0,-133){7}{\noindent   % 7 rows
            \framebox(200,133){\parbox[b]{1.75in}{yakyak}}
        }
    }

solved the problem, but is \noindent really sensible in a picture
environment?  Also, the following will work:

    \multiput(12,0)(200,0){2}{                  % 2 columns
\multiput(0,883)(0,-133){7}{\framebox(200,133){\parbox[b]{1.75in}{yakyak}}}
    }

but really, what's the right way to be able to use indentation for
readability?
And what about the trailing whitespace in my indentation style, between 
the end of the framebox command and the "}" on the next line.  Is it
ignored as I expected, or is it likely to bite me.

The local guru says this is magic, and after awhile I'll get a feeling
for when whitespace counts and when it doesn't, but I'm hoping someone
here can make the rules simple and clear for me.

Thanks for your help.
Best regards,
ruck
-- 
John R. Ruckstuhl, Jr.                  ruck@alpha.ee.ufl.edu
Dept of Electrical Engineering          ruck@cis.ufl.edu, uflorida!ruck
University of Florida                   ruck%sphere@cis.ufl.edu, sphere!ruck