Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!aioe.org!news.stack.nl!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.059 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.88; '*S*': 0.00; 'differently.': 0.07; 'limit,': 0.07; 'exception': 0.12; 'lengths': 0.16; 'prose': 0.16; 'subject:PEP': 0.16; 'written': 0.17; 'received:209.85.210.174': 0.19; 'received:mail-iy0-f174.google.com': 0.19; 'header:In-Reply- To:1': 0.22; '(usually': 0.23; 'structure': 0.23; 'code': 0.24; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.28; 'characters,': 0.30; 'to:addr :python-list': 0.34; 'there': 0.34; 'rule': 0.34; 'that,': 0.35; 'widely': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.38; 'received:209.85': 0.38; 'subject:: ': 0.38; 'easier': 0.39; '[1]': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'received:209': 0.40; 'your': 0.60; 'url:net': 0.61; 'benefit': 0.66; 'natural': 0.67; 'obeyed': 0.84; 'paragraphs': 0.84; 'proportional': 0.84 MIME-Version: 1.0 Sender: z@etiol.net X-Originating-IP: [190.52.50.78] In-Reply-To: References: <4E286704.5060201@gmail.com> <4E2870A2.1070600@jollybox.de> <4E287406.8080608@gmail.com> <98tahoFcblU1@mid.individual.net> <98u00kFnfiU1@mid.individual.net> Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:08:53 -0400 X-Google-Sender-Auth: FTSsQkr71MEbOZB9wX7bbZeYIRo Subject: Re: PEP 8 and extraneous whitespace From: Zero Piraeus To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 18 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1311520137 news.xs4all.nl 23868 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:36459 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:10207 : > It's also because many people report that it's easier to read text when > it's not wider than ~75 characters. That rule [1] is for paragraphs of prose in proportional text; code is both written and read differently. While there most likely is an upper limit, it's going to be different - larger? - for monospace text with varying natural line lengths whose visual structure helps you to keep your "place". Having said that, I use 78 characters, am rarely annoyed by it (usually by exception text), and see little benefit in breaking from such a widely obeyed standard. -[]z. [1] http://webtypography.net/Rhythm_and_Proportion/Horizontal_Motion/2.1.2