Something's driving me nuts!

[catnapper]

Please don't laugh! But what's driving me nuts is the one or two space thing after a period! When I was in school, they drummed it into our heads that you must always typed TWO spaces after a period and before you type the first letter of the next sentence. So, here I type merily on my way, and I notice a lot of programs remove my nicely spaced second space and leave me with one. :( Doesn't it look odd to you?

Now, I did a fast Google search and they said that the old way was double space because of typewriters but with computers they havve properly scaled the fonts, so its not neccesary. Is it? hmmm.... it just seems so *wrong* waaaaaah! So they claim that the one space is the "current" way to properly do something.

So why do they have generations of kids being hit over the head with two spaces, and now they are hitting us over the head with one? Are they trying to make me loose my mind? Seriously! Isn't it enough that I keep up with the current internet lingo, now I have to re-teach my stubborn fingers to tye just one space? I hate technology! :D If this is true, I'm also going to have to appologise to my daughter for yelling at her that she needs to have two spaces! Please don't make me admit I was wrong! :D

Sigh, so who out there uses one, who uses two?

PS: I don't care what they "experts" say! I think that double space is cleaner looking! So there! :p

[Amber]

Hmmmm, I was taught to use only 1 space in school. :p

[RobiLee]

LOL....too funny.

I was taught 2 spaces also. I think it looks much neater.

I will probably always use 2 spaces. It is habit now and there is no way I'm about to change.

Robin :)

[slick]

Me too Robin, but then again, I was taught in the 60's. Always 2 spaces after a period at the end of a sentence.

[Cookiebaker]

hehe that's funny that you notice that, too! It has always been drummed in my head to do 2 spaces.

In my line of work, I end up having to fix up a lot of people's text, and it drives me nuts! Especially when people use spaces instead of tabs to move things over. Grrrrr! :rolleyes:

I feel for you, Catnapper! ;)

[Shelteez2]

I was taught 2 spaces in school, and it hasn't been that long since I've been out of school, (I'm 23).
What I found odd was when I started coming to message boards and such I noticed that most people didn't use two spaces, so I thought I was the odd one. I think I've gotten out of the habit of typing the second space though unless it is in a personal email or letter.

[MariaM]

I was taught 2 spaces. I believe that I will always type that way, as it is in my brain.

[catnapper]

I'm glad to see I am not the only one! Should we form a support group? Make a petition to force those computer programmers to use two spaces? There must be something!

[MariaM]

Yes! I believe we should!

[clara4457]

Must use two spaces.(space-space). Must use two spaces.(space-space):D

I think I am indocrtrinated!

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by Amber
Hmmmm, I was taught to use only 1 space in school. :p

Me too! How odd!!! I've always typed my term papers, projects, essays, EVERYTHING for school with one space, and that's how everyone else does it too.

Two spaces bother me. :o

[AmberLee]

I was taught two spaces and apparently most of my coworkers were, too. Unfortunately, because a computer program we use apparently has major problems if we use two spaces. So we're needing to double and triple check our work prior to running the required program... Sheesh!!!

[dappledoxie]

I was taught 2 spaces and then once in college our computer teacher told us it was now 1 space only. Most of the time now I just do one, since I'm still in college and they make you do things certain ways to get credit for it. :D

[NoahsMommy]

OK, that is the wierdest thing, EVER, Kim!! I was just thinking about this yesturday! I kid you not! How wierd is that for us both to be contemplating this???

I figured out that in high school, my teachers taught me to do the two spaces. I know Word does correct it, so I just assumed two spaces was wrong.

Along the same lines, remember this rule:

I have eight cats, two birds and three fish.

Now, its supposed to be:

I have eight cats, two birds, and three fish.

I don't like it!! Isn't a comma used to make a quick pause? If you say that outloud, it sounds really wierd AND THREE FISH. Nope, don't like it.

;)

[Dogz]

I have thought about this before, too.

I can't stand using two spaces. In school they say that you have to use to spaces, but I never do. (whoops!) ;)

IMO, I think that one space looks neater. Maybe this is just me? Usually on Pet Talk, I don't really notice when people use two spaces though.

Maybe someday I'll learn to use two spaces (if I am supposed to) but right now I will stick with using one space!

[wolf_Q]

I was taught to use two spaces. I normally use two spaces. Sometimes I end up with 3 lol....wow I'm really bad! :eek:

[RubyMutt]

I was always taught to use one space. How strange, I wonder what determines the amount of spaces teachers will drill into their students to use. I don't think I have once heard of the two spaces after periods :eek:

[jenfer]

I am a self-taught typist. And I am a 2-space supporter! :D

[dukedogsmom]

This is very interesting. I was taught to use two spaces and I doubt that I can change that now. I remember those things they called typewriters. I like computers much better!

[neko1]

I was also taught to use 2 spaces and I don't think I will ever break from the habit.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I was taught to use 2 spaces, and I too don't think I will ever change the way I type. However I just asked my husband, who is a programmer, and he said that 1 space after a period is now the correct way to type. :rolleyes:

[Pam]

I was taught two spaces and I am too old to change! :D

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Originally posted by Pam
I was taught two spaces and I am too old to change! :D

Ditto that from me too!!!;)

[Randi]

Testing, with one spaces!

Testing, with two spaces!

Testing,    with two spaces (see example below. :)

If you want to make more than one space in a PT post, type this:
(  without the bracket in front, and small letters. Then, an extra space will appear in the post.

You can also use this if you want one or more spaces after your picture. ;)

It's wierd that people learn different spacing etc. in different countries. I was in school in the 50ties and 60ties - obviously in Copenhagen, and we were taught to use one space after commas and periods.

Concerning commas: Not many years ago, they changed the rules in Denmark, so that you werent "forced" to use grammatical commas, but could choose to use pause commas. However, I find some commas a bit tricky; I would use one after BUT, but not after AND. :D I suppose those rules are different in different countries as well.

[catnapper]

You now, I had a dream last night that I was typing on a typewriter! LOL!

I am so very happy to see that a majority of us are two spacers... but if you'll notice, even PT changes our two spaces into one. Gosh we sound like a bunch of stubborn people! :D When I did the Google search there was an article about how a personnel director won't hire someone based upon their resume being single or two spaces because they figure if they are too stubborn to change to one, then they wonder what kind of fights they'll put up in the office. Thats a bit of a leap in assumptions, isn't it?

Kelly, I'm sorry about the whole comma thing. Stinks, doesn't it? I hate when Word automatically changes things for you. I was helping hubby with a paper and typed it without proofing it first (it was a rough draft anyway) and Word had capitalized a ton of things that I never asked it to! I tried to go in and change the settings, but apparently didn't do it right :o

[Tonya]

I was taught to use two spaces and I am not going to change!

[lizzielou742]

I was always taught two spaces, but in college all my teachers started correcting me and asking me to use one space, so now I find myself only using one space. :rolleyes: It's frustrating to me too!

[Uabassoon]

I was taught two spaces. I don't think I could ever change to just 1 space, it's just too much of a habit now.

[Logan]

We were always told that it was correct to double space after a period and single space after a comma. That's what I still do, and I never noticed that Word or Pet Talk changes that! :o

[boscibo]

I didn't take typing in high school, I learned to type by using the computer. So one space is normal for me. Most internet message boards will take the extra space out anyways.

The major problem I have run into is: I'm in college now, and most professors are OK with one space after a period. However, my English prof last semester insisted on our work having two spaces after a period. I found a way to force Word Perfect to do that for me (I can type one space after a period, WP will automatically add another one), but I haven't found a way to do that in Word. I honestly have no preference, one space looks normal to me because books only have one space after a period. Picky professors drive me nuts!

[prechrswife]

I was also taught 2 spaces after a period and one space after a comma. I'm with those who say it is too late to change my habits at this point.:)

[micki76]

I'm a 'two spacer' also, and I have no intention of chaning after all this time. :)

[jungle4u]

I was also taught to do two spaces!

[Barbara]

Cultural gap here: in school nobody my age was taught typing. And since I am using PCs (1985) I was used to make one space only.

I still only type with two fingers right and one finger left- but I am the fastest typist in this technique:D

[DJFyrewolf36]

When I was in high school, they always told us to use two spaces. I generally do now because I taught myself to type using these rules. In college, the professors seem to think its "funny" to tell us different things. One group says one space is ok and another says it has to be two. Grrr make up your minds people! One prof was so anal about it that he *well he wasn't a prof but a Teachers Assistant and all our grades went through him :rolleyes:* graded a girls paper an F because the spacing wasn't right acording to him *she used one space, he thought it should have been two*. Her ideas were sound and outside of the period issue, there wasn't any gramatical errors.

The TA got fired like a week later because a group of students went to the prof and made a huge fuss lol.

[Karen]

I am a graphic designer by trade. SInce the advent of personal computers and properly designed fonts, it is not longer necessary - in fact it is incorrect to use two spaces after a period. Modern - as in not typewriter - fonts have the correct spacing built into the "period" character. Only once space is therefore necessary.

Two spaces was used back when people typed with monospace fonts, that did not have spacing correctly designed for typography. Each letter had the same with, even an i and an m - which is just silly. That is why you needed two spaces then, because frankly everything was weirdly spaced, and you needed two spaces to make a difference.

That is no longer true.

One space is all that is correct after a period these days.

[Kona & Oreo's mom]

Yes, the explanation of typewriter vs. word processor is correct, and two spaces after a period are no longer needed. I'm an editor professionally, and I've had to relearn that one space is now correct. :)

And I have good news on the comma front for NoahsMommy: That extra comma (it's called a series or serial comma) in a short, clear list of items like your example is only "strongly recommended" by the style folks. It's only "necessary" if there is a chance that the series can be misread without the comma.

[RubyMutt]

Originally posted by Karen
I am a graphic designer by trade. SInce the advent of personal computers and properly designed fonts, it is not longer necessary - in fact it is incorrect to use two spaces after a period. Modern - as in not typewriter - fonts have the correct spacing built into the "period" character. Only once space is therefore necessary.

Two spaces was used back when people typed with monospace fonts, that did not have spacing correctly designed for typography. Each letter had the same with, even an i and an m - which is just silly. That is why you needed two spaces then, because frankly everything was weirdly spaces, and you needed two spaces to make a difference.


Interesting! :D

[Karen]

Now all we need to do is find typing teachers everywhere and re-educate them!

[zippy-kat]

Up until last year, I've always used the 2 spaces. Then a professor (I'm in grad school - Tech Writing) informed and enforced the 1 space rule. It's a hard habit to break!

Kelly, I'm the opposite... it drives me NUTS *not* to see a comma before "and/or" when listing items.

It's:
I have a bunny, cat, and turtle.

NOT:
I have a bunny, cat and turtle.

;)


That's the great thing about english... the rules are always changin'. lol

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by catnapper

... but if you'll notice, even PT
changes our two spaces into one. Gosh
we sound like a bunch of stubborn people! :D

When I first started using the I-net - I tried to "fight" the
Where did my Second *Space* go after the period?" battle ...
And Gave Up! :rolleyes:

Seems that most, if not all, BBS and Forums automatically "eliminate"
the Second Space!

Only time I really notice it now is when I *want* to indent a
line of type a few spaces...
No Can Do unless I'll settle for a ONE-space indent! :p

Try for a 2-space indent - like I did on THIS line ...

Or :eek: 3-spaces, like on this line...

And Oh, NO - you can't DO that! :mad:

NOTE:
I've "previewed" this post 3 times - and even though "MY" two and three Indenting spaces
are STILL SHOWING in the Reply Typing Box -
They are GONE from the "Preview Box"!
(And they WON'T show up in the actual Post, either!) :p

It's called "Progress" - Like it or Lump it! ;)
.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I read this about two days ago but haven't had a chance to respond until now, but I've been thinking about it these last couple of days and you know, I don't think I could NOT type two spaces after the period. I don't even think about it, it's just second nature. It tried to pay attention a couple of times and only type one space - didn't work. My thumb just automatically types two and that's all that's to it. If the program is so smart that it automatically puts the proper spacing in for me, then it can just remove my extra space for me too. ;) :D

And this is something I never even noticed before. :o

[CamCamPup33]

I was always taught with one.

I personally like it with only one, that's the way i was taught, and that's the only way i know. This is all news to me! ;) :p

Although when i read everyones post, i was tempted to try the *two-space method* :p

[catland]

Wow - have I ever been living in a cave. No one told me that the rules were changed.

I was taught the two-space rule (1973) and it is just second nature to me. It's like when you type common words like "the" or "and" - I don't even think of the letters, just the word. Same thing happens with that "period". I type it and hit the space bar twice (with my right thumb - interesting considering I'm left handed:rolleyes: ).

Kind of sad about that personell director - what a goof-ball.

[jenluckenbach]

I type the double space and I never even noticed that it is removed :eek: !!!