Why Python style guide (PEP-8) says 4 space indents instead of 8 space??? 8 space indents ever ok??

[Harry George]

Stephen Horne <steve at ninereeds.fsnet.co.uk> writes:

> On Mon, 27 Oct 2003 08:36:04 GMT, Harry George
> <harry.g.george at boeing.com> wrote:
> 
> >If you never work with others, never edit code from others, and never
> >offer code to the OSS world, then I suppose you can do your own indent
> >rules.
> 
> That is emphatically *not* my situation. OK, I've made no significant
> contribution to the open source world (yet) but as a professional
> programmer, working with code that was produced by someone else (and
> usually maintained by a number of people), and writing code to be read
> by someone else is just a basic fact of everyday life.
> 
> My experience is that the size of indent really doesn't make much
> difference as long as it is consistent in each file - you get roughly
> the same number of complaints no matter what length you choose.
> 
> At work, there isn't really a set rule that I'm aware of. Most people,
> when creating a new file, tend to go with either two or four space
> indents, though there are a couple of eight-spacers too, but it really
> isn't a big thing. It doesn't create unreadable chaos, it just means
> some files have wider indents than others.
> 
> And yes, any half-decent editor can be set up to indent properly to
> any width. Mine are set up to use two space indents. But because I
> also regularly end up using new editors (which I've not yet figured
> out how to set up correctly), or simple editors (sometimes notepad
> does the job simply because it is there) or editors set to someone
> elses preferences, or files which use indent levels different to my
> preferences, my habit is to avoid the tab key altogether and just use
> the space key. That way, if I forget that a particular editor has not
> yet been set up to use spaces instead of tabs, I don't get a file
> using mixed tabs and spaces for instance.
> 

You can get away with file-by-file decisions in some languages, but
not python.  As you refactor code among files, and as you do Extreme
Programming with someone using a different editor, you will kill
productivity if you are fussing with indents.  Go with the guidleines
and that pain from "accidental complexity" (Brooks term) disappears.

> 
> -- 
> Steve Horne
> 
> steve at ninereeds dot fsnet dot co dot uk

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