[sgt101]

What does the literature say?

Is it known (as in quantitatively) if significant indentation is a good thing, or a bad thing?

[smitherfield]

I think it's a bit of a bikeshed-type issue.

Subjectively, languages with significant indentation (Python, F#, Nim, Coffeescript, Haskell, etc) are often thought to have nicer-looking syntax.

[sgt101]

If I had the patience I would try and measure something about the productivity of those languages vs. opensource projects (not at all sure what) and control a lot of things and do lots of stats and then write it all up and then realize that no one else cares.

[ufo]

There is very little literature about objectively comparing programming languages like you are asking here.

[sgt101]

I know.... Computer Science research has some huge issues!