One space or two?

[MBAtarga]

I've always typed two spaces after a period - ever since I took typing in HS. (Just over 40 years ago.)

I saw just recently that Microsoft now considers that an error, and also that resume scanning software detects the extra space. "Two spaces after the period on your resume - dude, you're old - much too old for this job."

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/24/21234170/microsoft-word-two-spaces-period-error-correction-great-space-debate

This article from 2014 basically says the same thing -

Nothing Says Over 40 Like Two Spaces after a Period!
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/two-spaces-after-period/

So, now I'm struggling with typing two spaces after periods, and then deleting one to "fix it." Am I the only one?

[wdfifteen]

I can't say if you're the only one. I used to use two spaces when using a typewriter, but I've been in publishing for a long time and have gotten into the habit of hitting the space bar once. Typesetting since the early days leaves a variable distance between the last letter of a sentence and the first letter of the next sentence. The double space is a relic of typewriter days when every letter took up the same space on the page. Most typesetting programs now adjust the space between the last letter of a sentence and the first letter of the next sentence according to aesthetics and readability. You can put in two spaces, but most program recognize this and adjust the spacing appropriately.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Snip...
Nothing Says Over 40 Like Two Spaces after a Period!
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/two-spaces-after-period/

From what I often read, Nothing says over 40 like using punctuation.

[Pazuzu]

When you write a paper/report/blog/whatever...

[Bill Douglas]

I'm a two space sorta guy. It's just what you do.

[livi]

Two spaces. Anything else looks sloppy and hasty. Yes, I am old.

[Erakad]

Two spaces....it's the little things that drive you crazy.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Erakad

Two spaces....it's the little things that drive you crazy.

I got over this years ago...don't know why it bugs some folks...but that's just me...

[john70t]

The more important question..two trailing periods or three...?
I never used to to use them, but now find the thoughts flow faster and the sentences seem to be easier to read using that type of connective spacing.

Same with using single lines, instead of a complete block of paragraphs that encompass a set of related thoughts.
Staying away from the comma key is also still a difficulty.

Perhaps it's just modern laziness.

[RKDinOKC]

If your writing is to be output on a type writer then use 2 spaces. If writing is to be used anywhere else then just one space.

[wdfifteen]

How many spaces did I type between this sentence. And this one?
How many spaces did I type between this sentence. And this one?


Answer: 3 for the first, one for the second.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by john70t

The more important question..two trailing periods or three...?

3. And double space for emphasis . . .

[RKDinOKC]

Most html text editors reduce the number of spaces to one.

When writing term papers to be printed on or from a type writer. Periods are follow by 2 spaces, and lines are double spaced.

[wilnj]

I’m a two space guy, I’ve heard that I’m showing my age by doing that but it would be near impossible to switch since the habit is reinforced by typing on the phone where a double space automatically adds the period and starts a new sentence with a capital letter.

[white85carrera]

Probably not a Bloom County crowd here, but they made a big big push on this a few years back, I never knew it was an issue before that.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they write, so I see "variations" in grammar, punctuation and prose as a bit of a peak behind the curtain.

[KFC911]

If'n you peek behind the curtain....yer nutz!
Move along now...nuthin' to see....hear ?

[Tobra]

It occurs to me that I do one space on texts. I do two for everything else.

[GH85Carrera]

My first printer was a Brother typewriter bodged home made wiring conversion from my Commodore 64. I could produce a flawless typed page since it came from my word processor.

When I got my HP LaserJet 2 that was HUGE and weighed a ton I was in high cotton. I learned to go to single space back then.

[Adrian Thompson]

Two spaces here, but then I also refuse to use abbreviations in texts and I type out all numbers below 10 rather than use digits. I'm suddenly starting to feel old in cultural terms even though I'm only 51. I have mixed feelings, while on one hand I bemoan the laziness, on the language, both spoken and written, are ever evolving. We no longer thee and thou our way through life.

[sammyg2]

Yer not old until you realize that you will never ever have to worry about a resume again