Try typing

  a = 0;
  counter = 0;

then select this region and `M-x align' it.  The first line will have a
space followed by a tab, which is not good and is frowned upon by the
`whitespace' module.  The simple patch below fixes this.

I have to admit I didn't care to understand all the code in `align.el',
but I'm absolutely sure the patch is safe and works.


2004-10-24  Paul Pogonyshev  <pogonyshev@gmx.net>

        * align.el (align-areas): Delete whitespace before reindenting, so
        that tabs are never placed after spaces.


My mailer currently mangles tabs, so I attach the patch instead of inlining
it.

Paul