[U-Boot] [PATCH] ppc4xx: Read pipeline depth set to 4 for PPC440SP/SPE, PPC405EX, PPC460EX/GT/SX processors

[Scott Wood]

On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 07:37:40AM +0200, Wolfgang Denk wrote:
> This change seems to be completely unrelated to above described
> changes, so if it was a valid modification, it would have to be split
> off into a separate commit.
> 
> But then, you are changing good TAB chanracters that  were  used  for
> vertical  alignment  into spaces. This is incorrect - please read the
> Coding Style requirements.

Where?  I see no mention of alignment in the coding style documentation.

I know it's common practice, but could someone please explain *why* TABs
are mandated for alignment?  It makes sense for indentation, as it allows
adjusting the tab size[1], requires fewer keystrokes to change
indentation level, and conveys meaning with respect to the structure of
the code.

The only thing that using TABs for vertical alignment gets you is some
slight compression of the source code when not compressed by other means,
an annoying 1/8 chance of the column shifting by 8 characters when the
code to the left is changed, the removal of flexibility with respect to
tab size, and the breakage of the alignment in patches when the tabs
start at the leftmost column (due to the prepended [+- ] characters).

-Scott

[1] Yes, I know that 8 characters is canonical -- but why go out of your
way to break other sizes?  What "makes things easier to read" is a matter
of personal preference -- and if that preference can be accomodated
without hardcoding it into the source code, it should be, even if some
see it as a "heretic movement". :-)