bug#20322: 25.0.50; indent-tabs-mode should default to nil

[Stefan Monnier]

>> IOW it is pure inertia.  *Very* few people would come a thank us for the
>> change, but many more will complaint.
> But we'd have the same problem if we change the value in specific modes

Fundamentally, yes, but the number of people will be affected.
If the number of people who will be annoyed is small enough
(e.g. because it's a mode that's rarely used, or because most users
will be happy about the change), then it's OK.

> of the modes where it's changed), but the affected people would be more
> annoyed, because changing it back will be more complicated for them.

I don't buy the "more complicated" argument.  There are circumstances
where it will be marginally more complicated but in any case

    (add-hook 'foo-mode-hook (lambda () (setq indent-tabs-mode <bar>)))

is the recommended way to set it and that will work just fine.

Remember: TAB-vs-SPC is like arguing about which primer we should use
before painting the bikeshed.  Any gain will be minuscule, so the pain
has to be correspondingly minuscule.


        Stefan