gistfile1.js

// Clears white-space text nodes...
// TODO: check CSS white-space property instead of "pre" nodeName.

function clearWSNodes(ctx) {
    
    ctx = ctx || document;
    
    var node = ctx.firstChild,
        oNode,
        prnt,
        dlt = true;
        
    while ( node ) {
        
        if ( node.nodeType === 3 && !/\S/.test(node.data) ) {
            prnt = node;
            while ( prnt = prnt.parentNode ) {
                if ( /^pre$/i.test(prnt.nodeName) ) {
                    dlt = false;
                    break;
                }
            }
            node = (oNode = node).nextSibling;
            if ( dlt ) {
                oNode.parentNode.removeChild(oNode);
            }
        } else {
            if ( node.nodeType === 1 ) {
                clearWSNodes(node);
            }
            node = node.nextSibling;
        }
        
        
    }
    
}