Is it new style or just lack of style?

[John W. Baxter]

In article <mailman.996819245.9680.python-list at python.org>, Roman Suzi
<rnd at onego.ru> wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> More and more I am starting to see people adding extra
> blanks in ( ).
> 
> Recent example (from Steven's post):
> 
> '''
> def Files( start ):
>         for file in listdir( start ):
>                 file = path.join( start, file )
>                 if path.isfile( file ): yield file
>                 elif path.isdir(file):
>                         for more in Files( file ):
>                                 yield more
> '''
> 
> Is it new style?  I am sure this contradicts Python Style
> Guide, but where from this new style appeared? I saw Java programs
> with the same ugly padding...

When I was writing Pascal code, I preferred
   spam (ham)

Then C came along (unfortunately) and many early C preprocessors had
trouble with the space before the ( if spam was defined as an
argument-taking macro (the silly things looked for 'spam(' literally). 
So the people who like a little spacing put the spaces inside the
parens.  I never adopted that one.

Recently, I've been writing
    spam(ham)
thereby saving all those spaces for use in indenting.  ;-)

  --John
Help stave off the great computer space shortage!