Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.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 0.002 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'lines,': 0.05; 'lines.': 0.07; 'width': 0.07; 'finite': 0.09; 'received:80.91': 0.09; 'received:80.91.229': 0.09; 'received:gmane.org': 0.09; 'received:list': 0.09; 'sections': 0.13; 'code).': 0.16; 'columns': 0.16; 'distinct': 0.16; 'exponential': 0.16; 'finney': 0.16; 'merge,': 0.16; 'received:80.91.229.3': 0.16; 'received:plane.gmane.org': 0.16; 'three-way': 0.16; 'char': 0.17; 'example.': 0.17; 'obviously': 0.18; 'windows': 0.19; 'code.': 0.20; 'regardless': 0.21; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.26; "doesn't": 0.28; 'header:X-Complaints-To:1': 0.28; 'lines': 0.28; 'writes:': 0.29; 'code': 0.31; '(and': 0.32; 'room': 0.32; 'print': 0.32; 'shorter': 0.33; 'strict': 0.33; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.33; 'another': 0.33; 'ben': 0.35; "won't": 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'received:org': 0.36; 'but': 0.36; 'compare': 0.36; 'should': 0.36; 'too': 0.36; 'enough': 0.36; 'does': 0.37; 'subject:: ': 0.38; 'mean': 0.38; 'several': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'subject:-': 0.40; 'header:Received:5': 0.40; 'kind': 0.61; 'world': 0.63; 'more': 0.63; 'our': 0.65; 'limit': 0.65; 'exceed': 0.65; 'printers': 0.84; 'reducing': 0.95 X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/ To: python-list@python.org From: Ben Finney Subject: Re: A desperate lunge for on-topic-ness Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:39:41 +1100 References: <153569467.1651735.1350568758155.JavaMail.root@sequans.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: rasputin.madmonks.org X-Public-Key-ID: 0xBD41714B X-Public-Key-Fingerprint: 9CFE 12B0 791A 4267 887F 520C B7AC 2E51 BD41 714B X-Public-Key-URL: http://www.benfinney.id.au/contact/bfinney-gpg.asc X-Post-From: Ben Finney User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/23.4 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:+M5CkLAoZLXgbbLZpqb9PJ2SNqM= X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 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: 25 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1350607199 news.xs4all.nl 6881 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:60028 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:31698 Jean-Michel Pichavant writes: > The 79 char limit purpose is to allow someone to read the code on a 80 > char terminal (and allow old printers to print the code). There is a very good reason for a strict line width limit regardless of terminal size: scanning long lines is cognitively more difficult than scanning shorter lines. This doesn't mean we should keep reducing the length of our lines, of course; obviously there needs to be enough room on a line to be expressive. But it does mean that lines which are too long are not kind to the reader. Another good reason: Even if you have a large terminal, you will often need to compare distinct sections of code. Knowing that code won't exceed 80 columns means that you can lay several windows of code side-by-side, for a three-way merge, for example. -- \ “Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a | `\ finite world is either a madman or an economist.” —Kenneth | _o__) Boulding | Ben Finney