You are here

Home ›

If two are better than one, why not seven or ten...

by David and Tim Bayly on January 14, 2011 - 8:54am

(Tim, w/thanks to Michael) Slate considered the matter and offers an opinion:

...when he sits down to type, Julian Assange reverts to an antiquated habit that would not have been out of place in the secretarial pools of the 1950s: He uses two spaces after every period. Which—for the record—is totally, completely, utterly, and inarguably wrong.

Tags: 
Web/tech
Throw the radio in the bathtub

Permalink

Comments

Submitted by Craig French on January 14, 2011 - 9:08am

You really need to let this go.[space][space] Just let it go.

Submitted by Karl von der Luft on January 14, 2011 - 9:13am

It really depends on the computer font. Realy.

Submitted by Karl von der Luft on January 14, 2011 - 9:16am

erk. I guess that last mispell realLy disqualifies me from saying anything... ;-/

Submitted by Tim Bayly on January 14, 2011 - 9:49am

It's true this question looks back to the days when proportional and non-proportional (monospace) fonts were both common, but really, the hoarse is ded:

http://webword.com/reports/period.html

From Wikipedia: "Examples of style guides that recommend single sentence spacing include: the Chicago Manual of Style 16th Edition (2010), the Oxford Style Manual (2003), Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations 7th Edition (2007)...."

Submitted by Tai F. on January 14, 2011 - 10:55am

I think you just need to accept that by the time we are all very old, the habit will be dead. However, for those of us where received HOURS worth of training at an impressionable age teaching us to double up on spaces, it is a habit we will likely never break. What can I say? In this, I am a product of an educational system that failed to anticipate the terrible virtual ostracization that would someday follow this digital faux pas.

Submitted by Fred Greco on January 14, 2011 - 11:57am

Tim, Tim, Tim. You are trying to convince me to write in a certain way according to *modern* style guides? Really? Now what does an 18th or 19th century guide say?

:)

Submitted by M. Scott Foster on January 14, 2011 - 11:58am

I just wanted Tim to know he wasn't alone in his frustration.

Submitted by Fr. Bill on January 14, 2011 - 6:20pm

" 'Examples of style guides that recommend single sentence spacing include: '"

So?

I suppose we're supposed to follow their recommendations on gender neutral language too?  That "him or her" and "his and hers" twaddle?

Submitted by Craig French on January 15, 2011 - 9:08am

Fr. Bill,
that's an excellent point.

Double-spacing is simply another manifestation of God's grace of distinction.

. Here?
No.
. [space]Here.

Submitted by cyrus on January 17, 2011 - 3:57am

I am 26. I was not taught the double space. yet I am both an advocate of the double-space, and an opponent of the serial comma. How's that for being old-fashioned.

Add new comment

2013 Clearnote Summer Conference
Man vs. Lust
Sexual by Design
 
 

Recent Comments

more
Subscribe to Recent Comments