Comments on: One or Two Spaces After a Period? http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/ The usability blog of John S. Rhodes Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:33:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: grammar rule how many spaces come after a colon http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-182138 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:01:01 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-182138 [...] [...] […] […]

]]> by: Chris from Florida http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-169813 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:09:16 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-169813 I don't understand why there is some sort of obtuse movement to remove the practice of using 2 spaces after a period. If the websites "clean" them, which is annoying, and no one needs to read what another writes, who should care? I prefer 2 spaces because it is a thousand times easier to read. I like to scan for the next sentence sometimes and especially with Proportional font sizes, the period has almost no horizontal weight, and therefore easily slips into a sentence barely making a gap of any kind. I don’t understand why there is some sort of obtuse movement to remove the practice of using 2 spaces after a period. If the websites “clean” them, which is annoying, and no one needs to read what another writes, who should care? I prefer 2 spaces because it is a thousand times easier to read. I like to scan for the next sentence sometimes and especially with Proportional font sizes, the period has almost no horizontal weight, and therefore easily slips into a sentence barely making a gap of any kind.

]]> by: Christina http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-167177 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:23:28 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-167177 What a funny conversation! I'm just now learning that one space after a period is the "best" way to go. My friend is a journalism major and was told by her TA that it is wrong to use 2 spaces. Like Mike above, my friend and I are 22 and were taught to insert 2 spaces at the end of a sentence. I hope potential employers don't look down upon me because I rock the 2 spaces in my cover letters. It's a habit I don't think I'll be able to break. Not until they come out with the patch or inhaler. What a funny conversation! I’m just now learning that one space after a period is the “best” way to go. My friend is a journalism major and was told by her TA that it is wrong to use 2 spaces. Like Mike above, my friend and I are 22 and were taught to insert 2 spaces at the end of a sentence. I hope potential employers don’t look down upon me because I rock the 2 spaces in my cover letters. It’s a habit I don’t think I’ll be able to break. Not until they come out with the patch or inhaler.

]]> by: John McPherson http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-158437 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:23:51 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-158437 Two spaces lives! Two spaces lives!

]]> by: jane http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-133632 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 20:22:37 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-133632 2 spaces just reads easier. I will never stop typing two spaces after a period! 2 spaces just reads easier. I will never stop typing two spaces after a period!

]]> by: mike http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-130432 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:20:00 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-130432 Diane, what about putting two spaces after a colon like you just did. I use two spaces for both colons and sentences because of habit; it's just what I was taught. As for being outdated, I'm only 22 so I dont see how accurate that statement is if they were still teaching it in high school 5 years ago. However, I may just switch to 1 space because I am trying to post my personal statement for medical school and it limits by characters including spaces. Diane, what about putting two spaces after a colon like you just did. I use two spaces for both colons and sentences because of habit; it’s just what I was taught. As for being outdated, I’m only 22 so I dont see how accurate that statement is if they were still teaching it in high school 5 years ago. However, I may just switch to 1 space because I am trying to post my personal statement for medical school and it limits by characters including spaces.

]]> by: Diane http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-130224 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:59:34 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-130224 You cannot globally correct for two spaces after a sentence in MS Word because not all sentences end with periods and not all periods end sentences. This is the main reason I use one space along with typsetting programs and web conventions desiring only one word space between sentences: it's easy to search for two spaces and replace them with one. It's not easy to do it the other way around. You cannot globally correct for two spaces after a sentence in MS Word because not all sentences end with periods and not all periods end sentences. This is the main reason I use one space along with typsetting programs and web conventions desiring only one word space between sentences: it’s easy to search for two spaces and replace them with one. It’s not easy to do it the other way around.

]]> by: Brian http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-86089 Sun, 20 May 2007 18:37:14 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-86089 >> But perhaps I’m just unnecessarily strict when it comes to grammar and punctuation. >>
But perhaps I’m just unnecessarily strict when it comes to grammar and punctuation.

]]> by: Christina http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-14007 Wed, 31 May 2006 18:59:20 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-14007 I much dislike seeing a double space after a full stop. This is more of a nitpicky thing of mine just because I know it's an outdated practise and I think it's useless and regressive to continue outdated practises simply out of habit, when there is no further need for them. But perhaps I'm just unnecessarily strict when it comes to grammar and punctuation. I much dislike seeing a double space after a full stop. This is more of a nitpicky thing of mine just because I know it’s an outdated practise and I think it’s useless and regressive to continue outdated practises simply out of habit, when there is no further need for them. But perhaps I’m just unnecessarily strict when it comes to grammar and punctuation.

]]> by: Tom Gray http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-14003 Wed, 31 May 2006 14:02:27 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-14003 If you really want to get anal, here's a great reference ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop. I'm a one space guy myself unless I'm using a manual typewriter in which case 2 spaces is the norm. And what's wrong with debating the (seemingly) trivial? It's nice to have a gentle skirmish every now and again rather than constant full-on battle. If you really want to get anal, here’s a great reference … http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop. I’m a one space guy myself unless I’m using a manual typewriter in which case 2 spaces is the norm. And what’s wrong with debating the (seemingly) trivial? It’s nice to have a gentle skirmish every now and again rather than constant full-on battle.

]]> by: Jay Zipursky http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-13987 Tue, 30 May 2006 19:13:45 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-13987 The question isn't what typists should do, but what the software that renders the text should do. Long ago, I learned to type 2 spaces (I don't remember why) and it's an impossible habit to break. It shouldn't matter. The question isn’t what typists should do, but what the software that renders the text should do. Long ago, I learned to type 2 spaces (I don’t remember why) and it’s an impossible habit to break. It shouldn’t matter.

]]> by: Thomas Baekdal http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-13986 Tue, 30 May 2006 18:22:19 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2006/05/30/one-or-two-spaces-after-a-period/#comment-13986 From a purely usability perspective - one is the way to go. Just imagine the trouble and errors that will come from having to type two spaces. BTW: Word can be set to automatically add double spaces after a period - using autocorrection. Anyway, I believe this "rule" comes from the days before we had things like kerning. I do not believe it to be relevant today. I know for sure that I would completely ignore any person telling me to use double spaces. From a purely usability perspective - one is the way to go. Just imagine the trouble and errors that will come from having to type two spaces.

BTW: Word can be set to automatically add double spaces after a period - using autocorrection.

Anyway, I believe this “rule” comes from the days before we had things like kerning. I do not believe it to be relevant today. I know for sure that I would completely ignore any person telling me to use double spaces.

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