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It was probably a tabs vs spaces issue, leading to an oddity of a block of code at the wrong depth. The fix is to simply accept only tabs OR spaces as valid wh
by aaronblohowiak 16y ago
It was probably a tabs vs spaces issue, leading to an oddity of a block of code at the wrong depth.
The fix is to simply accept only tabs OR spaces as valid whitespace... then again, this is one of the things that annoys me about make, but I digress..
- xiongchiamiov 16y ago...or just use a semi-decent editor that tells you when your code is indented inconsistently. I think we solved this problem like, 20 years ago or something.
- dalke 16y agoOr start Python in '-t'/'-tt' mode to generate warnings/errors on inconsistent tab usage.
- silentbicycle 16y agoWell right, but make already had like six users, so it was too late to change. ;)
- joe_the_user 16y agoAs I said, there are lots of fixes. But all the fixes depend on completely controlling the environment and the code production process. They work but they add "global control" need that is a bit more extreme than other languages. This qualifies as a "weird fragility" in my mind. Considering how many other levels of any given system might have weird fragilities, why be willing to accept language that guarantees you'll need to deal with such fragility by it's very structure? I'm sure I over-stated the problem when I first stated it ... but whenever I remember the situation, I feel the terribleness of it so I don't think it's unimportant.
- aaronblohowiak 16y agoI meant to suggest that the language be made in the language. Changing your process to accomodate a misfeature is not a fix, it is a work-around. We agree that this is a case where computer-enforced order is more important than programmer freedom, though you could create human processes to work around the danger that such freedom affords you. I'm starting to get to the point of just wanting sexps everywhere...