If, when saving files as text only (for transfer to MS-DOS applications,
for example), you lose tabs, consider the following. Most Macintosh word
processing applications save the tabs in the files. Most MS-DOS word
processing applications replace tabs with space runs. This is why the
MS-DOS files appear to keep their formatting.
Apple File Exchange replaces tabs n spaces if that option is selected in
the Macintosh-to-MS-DOS section of the standard text file translator.