Something's driving 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

[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 * 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!

[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!

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!

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!

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

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

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

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!)

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.

And this is something I never even noticed before.

[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!

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

[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 ).

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 !!!