No tabs in post PLEASE!!! (was Re: partial list sort)

[rzed]

"Daniel T." <a at b.c> wrote in message
news:a-9899BB.10453710102002 at nnrp05.earthlink.net...
> "Steve Holden" <sholden at holdenweb.com> wrote:
>
> > "Daniel T." <a at b.c> wrote:
> > > Alex Martelli <aleax at aleax.it> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Terry Reedy wrote:
> > > >         ...
> > > > > Tabs are bad for Usenet posting if you want stupid people
like me who
> > > > > use Outlook Express to read posted code.
> > > >
> > > > Seconded!  They're almost as bad for (expletive deleted)
people like ME,
> > > > who use KDE's KNode (0.6.1 with KDE 2.2.2 at least, haven't
tried more
> > > > recent versions yet).
> > > >
> > > > PLEASE folks, even if you're tabs-maniacs, make SURE you turn
them
> > > > into spaces when posting or mailing your sources...!!!
> > >
> > > You have got to be kidding...
> >
> > Well, that all depends whether you want readers to be able to see
the code
> > as you wrote it rather than the code as mangled by whatever gets
in the way
> > between your fingers and their eyeballs. While I try to stay away
from
> > religious issues, this is something that all posters should be
aware of.
> >
> > So, by all means use tabs on your code if that's how you want to
do it, but
> > remember that people aren't likely to want to reconstruct your
indentation
> > if you post it that way and the tabs get thrown out. So you'll be
that much
> > less likely to get a reply.
> >
> > And please don't tell me to change my mail client :-). While
that's not a
> > religious issue either, I use what I use for particular reasons,
as do many
> > others.
> >
> > Sorry.
>
> While we are at it, let's bitch and moan because some people put
LF/CR
> at the end of each line, some only put LF and some only put CR.
>
> "Everybody, quit inserting/stripping [arbitrary ASCII character]
because
> some of us can't read your posts!"
>
> I agree with you that if someone wants maximum coverage, they should
> work with the lowest common denominator, but I don't think those who
use
> systems that can't even handle the ASCII character set should be
> imploring the rest of us to conform to their handicapped system.

You're so right, here. The system I use (at work, where I am told I
have no option) will flatten leading tabs, but leaves spaces alone.
This has some deleterious effects on Python code, but it's clear that
I should quit my job and use different software to handle viewing the
code of the few who insist on using tabs even when urged not to by
members of the Python community.

Personally, if Alex Martelli asked me to post only in Italian, I'd
start lessons immediately. Or just as soon as I finish my Dutch
course, at least.

--
rzed