Lots of people are saying that they think that the use of
whitespace in Python is a show stopper, implying that it makes it hard
to understand, maintain, spot logic problems, etc., or some
combination thereof. I say that you can't hold that opinion if you
have given the language a fair try.
The only whitespace that's significant by amount in Python is
the initial indentation of a non-empty line. I (and many others
before me) claim that this actually *Prevents* logical errors in
programming. Anyone worthy of the designation "programmer" these days
is already using indentation to indicate compound statement nesting
level in any language that allows it. But when '{', '}' or "begin",
"end", or equivelent is what actually controls nesting level, we all
wind up at one time or another blowing an edit, then not using our
editor's "re-calculate indentation" feature (you shouldn't use an
editor for programming if it doesn't have such a feature), and
wondered why the program wasn't behaving as the indentation implies.
This never happens in Python, because the program *always*
behaves as the indentation implies. There is the added benefit that
there are no grouping operators to keep in sync with the indentation
(and program logic).
Almost every experienced programmer who hears that indentation
is syntacticly significant in Python (including me) things that it is
a bad idea, and reviles it. But those I know who have given the
language a fair try (even just reading someone else's code for
understanding) come to decide that it's a good idea after all.
Of course you must either use an editor that converts typed in
tab characters to spaces, or use tabs stops every 8 characters (the
only correct value for program editing, ever), as Python interprets
them. If your programming editor is in the habit of breaking long
lines for you, then it must be Python aware. Certainly, Python
awareness is available in emacs (what isn't?), but for the religiously
anti-emacs, the free Python IDE includes a matched editor that should
please the "Windows way" damaged.
If you're already a senior Perl and/or (bash|sh|ksh|csh) + sed
+ awk + grep + ... guru, there may be no point in your spending any
significant amount of time "learning" Python. But if you haven't,
then I don't think that you're really qualified to comment of the
desirability of its syntactic significance of whitespace.
Bill
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