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Ohnoes significant whitespace (was: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications)

Path csiph.com!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!not-for-mail
From Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au>
Newsgroups comp.lang.python
Subject Ohnoes significant whitespace (was: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications)
Date Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:03:24 +1100
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Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm talking about how people, those bags of flesh and thoughts, are
> bugged out by the notion that *whitespace* should matter (other than
> the mere presence/absence of it). It's the price you pay for being
> different - people will have trouble comprehending you.

To be fair, there is good reason for the programming (and broader IT)
community to have a heuristic of “significant whitespace is probably
bad”.

The few languages that did this badly (Makefile syntax, some Unix shell
syntax) leave a legacy of countless headaches and you can't fix the
language retroactively without breaking backward compatibility.

So I am sympathetic to Python newcomers recoiling in horror from
significant whitespace, *before* they try it. And because of that, we
are burdened with forever needing to deal with that reaction and
soothing it.

Those people who claim to have tried Python and *still* complain about
“significant whitespace”, I have no sympathy for. Python clearly does it
right, and it's a huge boon to readability and reducing simple errors.

-- 
 \       “He was the mildest-mannered man / That ever scuttled ship or |
  `\       cut a throat.” —“Lord” George Gordon Noel Byron, _Don Juan_ |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney

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Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 11:49 -0800
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications sohcahtoa82@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 12:25 -0800
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Rob Gaddi <rgaddi@highlandtechnology.invalid> - 2016-02-17 20:54 +0000
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Ray Cote <rgacote@appropriatesolutions.com> - 2016-02-17 16:13 -0500
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications paul.hermeneutic@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 14:18 -0700
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications William Ray Wing <wrw@mac.com> - 2016-02-17 16:27 -0500
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 00:17 -0800
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 10:09 +0000
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 21:16 +1100
        Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 03:11 -0800
          Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 22:32 +1100
            Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 07:49 -0800
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-19 03:06 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 09:49 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dietmar Schwertberger <maillist@schwertberger.de> - 2016-02-18 21:37 +0100
              RE: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dan Strohl <D.Strohl@F5.com> - 2016-02-18 16:24 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 09:58 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2016-02-18 13:18 -0600
            Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-19 11:30 +1100
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-19 11:57 +1100
              Ohnoes significant whitespace (was: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications) Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney.id.au> - 2016-02-19 12:03 +1100
                Re: Ohnoes significant whitespace Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2016-02-19 08:36 +0200
                Re: Ohnoes significant whitespace (was: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications) Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-02-19 14:57 +0000
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-19 02:14 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-19 21:18 +1100
          Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 15:20 +0000
            Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 07:33 -0800
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 15:47 +0000
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications William Ray Wing <wrw@mac.com> - 2016-02-18 10:59 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 09:38 -0800
              RE: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dan Strohl <D.Strohl@F5.com> - 2016-02-18 16:00 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 09:44 -0800
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2016-02-18 13:28 -0600
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-19 02:47 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2016-02-19 11:23 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-19 03:53 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2016-02-19 08:13 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-20 18:54 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-20 10:45 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2016-02-20 20:21 +0100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Tony van der Hoff <tony@vanderhoff.org> - 2016-02-19 11:34 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2016-02-19 07:40 -0600
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-19 10:14 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-19 23:06 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Larry Hudson <orgnut@yahoo.com> - 2016-02-19 23:49 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-20 10:38 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Larry Hudson <orgnut@yahoo.com> - 2016-02-20 23:28 -0800
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-21 13:16 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-22 00:54 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Jussi Piitulainen <jussi.piitulainen@helsinki.fi> - 2016-02-21 17:08 +0200
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-21 16:16 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Jussi Piitulainen <jussi.piitulainen@helsinki.fi> - 2016-02-21 23:52 +0200
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-21 23:05 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Jussi Piitulainen <jussi.piitulainen@helsinki.fi> - 2016-02-22 10:50 +0200
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-22 12:24 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2016-02-21 21:19 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-22 21:46 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Jussi Piitulainen <jussi.piitulainen@helsinki.fi> - 2016-02-22 13:39 +0200
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Random832 <random832@fastmail.com> - 2016-02-22 09:49 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-22 16:21 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for   engineering applications Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> - 2016-02-23 10:45 +1300
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2016-02-21 16:21 +0100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Tim Chase <python.list@tim.thechases.com> - 2016-02-21 12:19 -0600
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2016-02-21 21:40 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-22 22:16 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-22 12:51 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-23 00:09 +1100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2016-02-21 13:39 -0500
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de> - 2016-02-19 15:58 +0100
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Matt Wheeler <m@funkyhat.org> - 2016-02-19 17:05 +0000
                Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Roel Schroeven <roel@roelschroeven.net> - 2016-02-20 23:28 +0100
          Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2016-02-19 01:07 +0000
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 01:49 -0800
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications William Ray Wing <wrw@mac.com> - 2016-02-18 09:07 -0500
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-18 07:35 -0800
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-19 12:06 +1100
        Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-19 03:11 -0800
          Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2016-02-19 08:27 -0500
            Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2016-02-20 12:13 +1100
              Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications William Ray Wing <wrw@mac.com> - 2016-02-19 22:28 -0500
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-19 15:34 +0000
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-20 02:43 +1100
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-02-19 16:04 +0000
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-02-19 15:59 +0000
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-02-19 16:32 +0000
        Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2016-02-20 03:49 +1100
        Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-02-19 18:03 +0000
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Denis Akhiyarov <denis.akhiyarov@gmail.com> - 2016-02-19 20:58 -0800
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-20 10:50 -0800
      Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Denis Akhiyarov <denis.akhiyarov@gmail.com> - 2016-02-22 00:02 -0800
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications Mike S <mscir@yahoo.com> - 2016-02-20 19:52 -0800
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wxjmfauth@gmail.com - 2016-02-20 01:46 -0800
  Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications nholtz <nholtz@cee.carleton.ca> - 2016-02-20 08:22 -0800
    Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-20 10:47 -0800

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