If everyone hates it, you've probably made the correct choice (for solo projects, at least).
With spaces, you not only repeat yourself needlessly, but you also lose the semantic difference between indentation and token separation (which is why converting spaces to tabs always leaves you with a few incorrect sections, whereas tabs to spaces does not).
But, again, it's tech, so the least sensible answer is usually the most popular. I wonder if it just makes some people feel manlier to write cryptic-looking camelCase with a crapload of redundant space characters.
Did you read my last sentence? The whole problem is that, despite consciously knowing better, programmers have a perverse urge, in the depths of their psyches, to make everything seem as difficult as possible. I can't think of any other reason why we still use camelCase, for example.
I think most devs prefer spaces to tabs (yes, literally typing in redundant spaces, while also losing some semantic content) Maybe it's because you always get consistent spacing that way, but maybe - just maybe - it's because of a puritanical urge to make programming harder.
Everyone in technology is aware of how important it is to keep things clear and simple, but deep in the soul, a lot of us just want to be Neo, typing bizarre hieroglyphs that only we ourselves are clever enough to decipher.
> I can't think of any other reason why we still use camelCase, for example.
I know you said that on purpose ;)
In any case, I am also a proponent of tabs for indentation, spaces for alignment, and in fact only recently did I succumb to using spaces for Python projects, for the sake of consistency with the rest of the ecosystem. I was merely pointing out how "many people use it, therefore it's probably bad", just like "many people use it, therefore it must be good" are never good arguments.
Well, it's never black and white, so, strictly speaking, what I wrote was wrong. But I still like my exaggerated version. It sounds a lot more dramatic.
With spaces, you not only repeat yourself needlessly, but you also lose the semantic difference between indentation and token separation (which is why converting spaces to tabs always leaves you with a few incorrect sections, whereas tabs to spaces does not).
But, again, it's tech, so the least sensible answer is usually the most popular. I wonder if it just makes some people feel manlier to write cryptic-looking camelCase with a crapload of redundant space characters.