my @shades = ("\N{SPACE}", "\N{LIGHT SHADE}", "\N{MEDIUM SHADE}", 
+"\N{DARK SHADE}", "\N{FULL BLOCK}");
[download]

may be more work typing, but looks the same in your editor, in (github|gitlab|bitbucket|whoever)'s web interface, on all OSes and - but that's a probably matter of taste - might even be better readable.