[Python-Dev] Best practice for documentation for std lib

[Terry Reedy]

On 9/23/2013 10:56 AM, Guido van Rossum wrote:

> I think 60 is just a guideline. In stdlib .py source code I want it not
> to extend beyond the 79th column (see recent PEP 8 argument). For a

PEP 8 says "Limit all lines to a maximum of 79 characters.

For flowing long blocks of text with fewer structural restrictions 
(docstrings or comments), the line length should be limited to 72 
characters."

I do not understand 72 instead of 79, but to me, that means 72 chars 
total, including indents, triple quote and period, which means the 
cursor not past 73. If that is not what you mean, please clarify.

> typical class, where the docstring is indented 4 spaces, that leaves 72
> characters for the summary line (including a final period!). For a
> method it's 68 due to the extra indent.

72 - 2 indents - """ - . = 60, which is a bit skimpy ;-). Why not the 
full 79 at least?

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy