[pmwiki-users] leading spaces switch for 2.2.0 (somewhat important)

[marc]

The Editor said...
> On 3/25/07, marc <gmane at auxbuss.com> wrote:
> > With respect, dumbing down features to meet the inability of folk to
> > adapt is not a road that I wish to travel.
> 
> To be honest, I've never understood the reason for the leading space
> rule.

The fact is that a function exists and is easy to access via a well-
defined syntax, whether or not you understand the reason for the syntax, 
is not an issue here.

> I would much rather have a special markup or a config value
> that can be turned on for it, than the way it is now.

So, you are happy with an alternative syntax - you can always write your 
own ;-) I, and many others, like and use the existing syntax and prefer 
to keep it.

> Anything we can
> do to make PmWiki more intuitive and easy for users we should do.

This is obfuscation, since "intuition" is subjective. More to the point, 
there is nothing about PmWiki, or any other wiki, that is intuitive; the 
whole process of adding content must be learned.

Of course we all prefer software to be "intuitive" and "easy to use", 
but in no way is the syntax under discussion less than easy to use. It's 
clearly not intuitive - as mentioned above - but nor would any other 
syntax for the same function.

> Of course, with Han's new LWS recipe I'm good either way...

This is about a core function, not a recipe.

> And it does make things easier for end users.

No it doesn't, since it isn't "not easy" to start with.

> One less thing to remember or get confused about.

Where are the facts to support these fluffy statements? There is nothing 
to remember, nor be "confused about".

All we are talking about is a space at the start of a line. Are there 
really people out there who can't cope with not putting a space at the 
start of a line to avoid formatting that they don't require at that 
time? If so, I think the human race is in big trouble!

I enjoy the lack of facts in you "arguements", Dan ;-)

> I'd be interested again in hearing your reasons for keeping the
> leading white space rule.  Is there actually some reason it shouldn't
> be turned off by default?
 
The syntax exists; it's a very easy to use; it is used frequently. 

Perhaps, Dan, you might like to ask Patrick why he put it in in the 
first place. Clearly, there was a need, and the choice was made for the 
existing syntax. No-one is suggesting that Patrick is awarded the Nobel 
Prize for his choice, but there it is; it works; it's used; it's brain 
dead simple to understand; and so on.

Turning it off by default is not a big deal in the grand scheme of 
things. But it's one more additional thing to adjust during 
installation. In addition, removing very useful functions by default 
seems a strange thing to do, but maybe that's an indication that PmWiki 
is becoming something that no longer works for me.

-- 
Cheers,
Marc