Hmmm am I crazy, or am I right?

[purbeast0]

So my manager and I are going over a document I typed and he was like "i also see you have 2 spaces after every sentence (after the periods)." I then told him that that's how I learned in highschool to do it and all through college, and he joked like "it must have been UMD then ..."

So what is it ... 2 spaces after a sentence, or just 1? I've always learned 2.

 

[olds]

2. Duh.

 

[DnetMHZ]

I've always used 2 but my marketing manager keeps telling me it's 1.
One space looks weird to me.

 

[Riverhound777]

2 here.

 

[Conky]

2 is how they taught me in typing class in highschool.

Yeah, I wanted an easy A, lol

 

[beyonddc]

It's 2 spaces after every sentence. That's also how I been taught when I was in HS.

 

[Feldenak]

I was always taught 2.

 

[dullard]

Old machines and old fonts required it. Thus it was taught. I still do it.

Computers and proportional fonts eliminated the typeriter problem. Thus two spaces aren't needed any more. Most style guides will now say 1 space. If you do the 2 spaces, you learned old obsolete information. You might as well move yourself from the typewriter era to the computer era. I fight that myself.

It is very easy to just do a search and replace for two spaces, so it isn't a big deal when you are working together on a project.

 

[purbeast0]

Yah okay ... heh.

Now you guys see why I am looking for a new gig? With a manager like this?

(he's part the reason)

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: dullard
Old machines and old fonts required it. Thus it was taught. I still do it.

Computers and proportional fonts eliminated the need. Thus it isn't needed any more.

But redundancy will always be here.

 

[aircooled]

I always use two.
We publish magazines and books here and have several editors. I'll ask one of them what the correct way is as an editor. Be right back.

 

[EngenZerO]

two ftw

 

[psydancerqt]

i grew up using 2 spaces after a period. but i learned in grad school that 1 space is correct.

 

[ArchCenturion]

Hmm I usually do 2, but I looked this up

http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/mla.html
Spaces between sentences

In the old days of typewriters and nonproportional fonts (in which every letter, from i to w, takes up the same space), the rule was to put two spaces between sentences to improve readability. But if you print from a computer, you should put just one space between sentences.

 

[PurdueRy]

I always did one, but lots of people I know do two. The question really should be does it fscking matter?

No, it really doesn't

 

[So]

IIRC, Two is the old standard and one is the new. Both are still 'valid' since there are lots of people doing it both ways.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: ArchCenturion
Hmm I usually do 2, but I looked this up

http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/mla.html
Spaces between sentences

In the old days of typewriters and nonproportional fonts (in which every letter, from i to w, takes up the same space), the rule was to put two spaces between sentences to improve readability. But if you print from a computer, you should put just one space between sentences.

Eh - even with modern proportionally spaced fonts 1 space doesn't look right to me. And my boss insists on two anyway.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
So my manager and I are going over a document I typed and he was like "i also see you have 2 spaces after every sentence (after the periods)." I then told him that that's how I learned in highschool to do it and all through college, and he joked like "it must have been UMD then ..."

So what is it ... 2 spaces after a sentence, or just 1? I've always learned 2.

i learned 2 spaces also.

 

[BoomerD]

Like most, I learned the "2 spaces at the end of a sentence/after a period" rule. I still use it, and anyone who doesn't like it can make the change if they so desire. I LIKE seeing a definite end to the sentence...

 

[amish]

2.

but if you go into MSword and type a sentence, then begin a new one without any spaces, word will insert one space.

 

[Aharami]

2

 

[DaShen]

2 is correct.

 

[aircooled]

I Just asked our Senior Editor. He said either is acceptable. Giving the new York Times as an example of a a single spaced paper.

 

[DainBramaged]

I've always used two spaces.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
The question really should be does it fscking matter?

No, it really doesn't

Sure, it matters. Two spaces help in reading comprehension better than just 1 space. I think it's just as important as properly using commas.