On Mon, Nov 17, 2003 at 05:21:23PM -0800, Steve Lamb wrote:
> H. S. Teoh wrote:
> >On Mon, Nov 17, 2003 at 11:47:34AM -0600, Chad Walstrom wrote:
> >[snip]
>
> >>I have a love-hate relationship with the significant whitespace.
>
> >I have a hate-hate relationship with it. I much prefer free-style syntax
> >where the programmer is allowed to use his best judgment on how to indent
> >the code. Of course, in less-than-ideal projects, or projects with
> >less-then-ideal programmers, this could result in a mess, but I'm speaking
> >of personal preference here.
>
> Problem is that in languages which allow "free-style syntax" you're not
> allowed free-style syntax at all. You're required to match }'s with {'s
> (or the local language equivolents) and end all lines with ; (except for
> some cases when you don't have to). This is still a restriction of the
> same order, just with different characters and rules.
>
> Oddly enough ever since picking up Python a few years back I've never
> once felt constrained by its significant whitespace. I felt a profound
Significant whitespace? Shudder, that brings back crusty old memories
of Fortran. I have great fondness for fortran because of the wonderful
mathematical algorithms in LinPack, but I have no fondness for
significant whitespace.
> relief, however, when dealing with other people's code becuase it looked
> and behaved just like mine. There is enough freedom in the rules that a
> programmer doesn't have to worry about the end of the screen yet there is
> enough sensible structure to make the code readable. I mean, let's get
> down to it....
>
> if foo {
> bar;
> } else {
> baz;
> }
>
> if foo
> {
> bar;
> }
> else
> {
> baz;
> }
>
> if foo {
> bar;
> }
> else {
> baz;
> }
>
> ....if you remove the points of contention between those three you're left
> with...
>
> if foo
> bar
> else
> baz
>
> ...which is a colon away from legal Python syntax. :P
>
> --
> Steve C. Lamb | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
> PGP Key: 8B6E99C5 | main connection to the switchboard of
> souls.
> -------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
