Version: CVS (using KDE Devel) Installed from: Compiled sources In the configure editor dialog for KATE, on the indentation tab, 'tab key mode if nothing selected' group, There should be a third option: Insert single TAB char This will let you use tab with a selection to ident, and still insert a single tab char when editing files that need this capability. CTRL-I works around this but not everyone knows that CTRL-I is equivalent to the TAB key. Also, this is the way the MSVC IDE works.
Well, as you say, this is Kate behaviour. Much better chance of getting it fixed if it actually reaches the kate developers. Reassigning.
fixed in cvs
*** Bug has been marked as fixed ***.