[Koha-devel] Tab stops in source code

[Rick Welykochy]

Mason James wrote:

> check this link for hearty examples of 'tabs versus spaces'  
> discussion, enjoy ;)
> 
> http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=576936
> 
> 
> for me, the above discussion eventually has a obvious conclusion,  
> which is...
> 
>    tabs have the possibility to be displayed in a whole bunch of  
> different ways
>    depending on what os/shell/editor/termtype/xterm/whatever  
> combination you are using
> 
> and spaces dont,..
> 
> 
> i think spaces continue to be the best 'lowest-common-denominator'  
> choice for a big open-source project like koha,

I agree with the above article.

TABs are metadata, not display data. They give the programmer and
reader a reliable indication of the structure of a program through
consistent indentation.

It is quite trivial for any viewer to set TAB STOP = 4 (or whatever
is agreed upon) and get a consistent presentation.

But presentation != metadata.

> FYI: heres the link http://tidy.sourceforge.net/

There is only one caveat with tidy programs. One little bug can cause
loss or change the semantics of what is being tidied. Silently.


cheers
rickw


-- 
_________________________________
Rick Welykochy || Praxis Services

Tis the dream of each programmer before his life is done,
To write three lines of APL and make the damn thing run.