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• spaces and tabs (Score:1)

  by dagolden (6584)

  I understand your frustration. However, I'll suggest that you use 8-space indentation with *spaces* not *tabs*. That way, regardless of my editor settings for tab width, I'll see that your style is 8-space indentation and (as a good contributor) can follow that easily. Whereas if my tab-width is set to 4 or 2, then I'll never know that you want 8 spaces and you're more likely to get something inconsistent back (particularly if I'm trying to line things up across multiple lines at something that *isn't* a
  • Re: (Score:2)

    by pudge (1)

    I understand your frustration. However, I'll suggest that you use 8-space indentation with *spaces* not *tabs*. That way, regardless of my editor settings for tab width, I'll see that your style is 8-space indentation and (as a good contributor) can follow that easily. Whereas if my tab-width is set to 4 or 2, then I'll never know that you want 8 spaces and you're more likely to get something inconsistent back (particularly if I'm trying to line things up across multiple lines at something that *isn't* a 8-space tab multiple.)

    But this is not a problem if you follow the simple rule that you use tabs only for the lefthand indenting. If you need to line things up over multiple lines somehow such that this would break, then do not use tabs, use spaces.
    • Re: (Score:1)

      by dagolden (6584)

      Yes, in an ideal world I would and so would everyone else. Unfortunately, it's not an ideal world and when multiple people contribute to something, it's possible that someone won't follow that guideline.

      My point was that using only spaces will (a) be more apparent to contributors that 8-space indentation is desired and (b) be more robust to fix when someone intentionally or inadvertently mixes tabs and spaces.
      • Re:spaces and tabs (Score:2)

        by pudge (1) on 2007.07.12 10:29 (#56199) Homepage Journal

        Yes, in an ideal world I would and so would everyone else. Unfortunately, it's not an ideal world and when multiple people contribute to something, it's possible that someone won't follow that guideline.

        How is that different from any other guidelines?

        My point was that using only spaces will (a) be more apparent to contributors that 8-space indentation is desired

        But I am saying it is NOT desired. TABBED indentation is desired, NOT 8-space indentation.

        and (b) be more robust to fix when someone intentionally or inadvertently mixes tabs and spaces.

        I've never had any problem converting tabs to spaces, it's pretty simple.
        
        

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