so I guess the two spaces after a period thing is a holdover from the days of typewriters where a space was half the size of one character, so two were placed after a sentence. nowadays, with computers, this isn't an issue with most fonts since they're variable width, so only one space is necessary after a period and is considered correct. two spaces is still considered correct as well, but it seems to be discouraged as unnecessary.
I just found this out like a month ago and was kind of shocked. I've always put two spaces after a period and was taught to do so. it's really disconcerting to find out one space is correct too! I've been trying to get into the habit of doing the one space thing, but it's really hard.
kind of unrelated, but interesting is that in HTML two spaces shows up on a web page as one space, so in this post, e.g., it will look like I put one space after all of the periods, but I actually put two when I was typing it.
I just found this out like a month ago and was kind of shocked. I've always put two spaces after a period and was taught to do so. it's really disconcerting to find out one space is correct too! I've been trying to get into the habit of doing the one space thing, but it's really hard.
kind of unrelated, but interesting is that in HTML two spaces shows up on a web page as one space, so in this post, e.g., it will look like I put one space after all of the periods, but I actually put two when I was typing it.
My girlfriend puts two spaces. She is the only person I know who does it. I find it rather irritating. Why did you learn to type with two spaces post-period?
Interesting thing about the HTML.
Interesting thing about the HTML.
weird! that's just how my parents taught me when I was typing. I'm pretty sure they told us the same thing in school, too. where did you learn one space? how old are you? I'm 21 so I was learning to type papers for school around 1998 in sixth and seventh grades.
I started to learn typing in 1997. Not sure who taught me... my dad uses two spaces.
i've always used two spaces.. dunno when it started, but i think i remember the program that we used in keyboarding class yelling at me for not using two spaces after a period.
when i'm doing formal stuff it's double spaces after periods, as per my keyboarding and engligh teachers in hs. otherwise it's just one.
I always two spaces. Besides, typewriters are infinitely better for writing than computers.
I think it's the font.
what's the font?
Typewriter font. :)
ahh... trent lane. my compliments
Nah. Typewriters don't have a backspace key (well ... they do but it just moves the carriage) so you have to think while typing. bwahahahaha!
"Modern" typewriters have that whiteout ribbon. It looks HORRID!
Even if it worked how many times could you do it before you ruined something? :-P
I grew up learning 2 spaces after a period. Nuns taught me in grammar school.
Creepy.
Creepy.
so I've been doing pretty well only putting one space after periods lately. everyone once in a while I slip up and do two, but I've been forcing myself to go back and correct it, so I think it's getting beat into my head pretty well.