Re: Python indent (Lua libraries)

[Markus Huber <pulse@...>]

> paul@theV.net wote:

> > On Thu, Jan 31, 2002 at 10:44:57AM -0800, David Jeske wrote:

> > > On Thu, Jan 31, 2002 at 12:24:01PM +0100, Markus Huber wrote:

> > > I was in hope that Lua is an alternative to (cryptical, hard to read)
> > > Perl and (stupid indent based) Python. After one year programming in php
> > > (old bugs, new version with new bugs, incorrect manual, stupid
> > > functions, old code is incompatible to newer versions, ...) I am
> > > searching for an alternative with all the stuff needed for html
> > > based internet applications.

> > Really, try Python, after using it you will probably love the
> > indention

Never. After testing this idea we (I am not alone) came to the result
that this is the wrong way. I think: for all the programmers who learned
to structure their code without Pythoncan't find a benefit.

- its hard to deal with big chuncks of code
  (insert, delete, copy...)
- its impossible to merge code from two programmers
  when the reserved indent spaces/tabs aren't identical
- its impossible to write good readable code e.g.

  ExpressionFallbackTilde = ExpressionPosition
            FallbackTilde = ExpressionPosition
                   Search = true
        InternalDelimiter = ''

  ExpressionFallbackTilde = ExpressionPosition
  FallbackTilde = ExpressionPosition
  Search = true
  InternalDelimiter = ''

Or other examples:

  if Variable=Value then       Name = ''      endif
                             Object = ''
                               Size = 0
                         Attributes = 'rw/rw'

I prefer to break the indent rules to group blocks more readable.

> like everyone else.

Nope.

Sorry for Python discussion on the Lua group.

> > If you really can't bring yourself to, then try Ruby. It's simple and
> > clean and not intent based.

But not useable for functional programming.

> > Lets please not start another project which needlessly reinvents the
> > wheel. Lua is a great embedded language, lets keep it that way.

Lua isn't "only" an embedded language. On RISC OS you are able to write
complete windows based desktop applications only with Lua. And please
look also at CGILua - as it exist since many years - to name only two
examples.

> If you prefer C-like syntax

I don't like C. Its to cryptic, much brackets and so on.

> or you have fumbled with LPMud in the past, please try Pike
> (http://pike.roxen.com).

Last year I spent a few days for Pike. But using php was the result.


Markus