Space??
What the freak Sheriff?
Space??
Okay ... NOT the kind of space an astronaut flies into.
THIS kind of space:
(and no, those aren't my fingers--Google images is a wonderful thing)
For those of you who are old-school (ahem *raises hand*), I was taught a mere fifteen years a go in high school to put TWO spaces at the end of sentences. And yes, this was on a computer (I'll tell you why this is important in a sec.)
Apparently, this rule is no longer the norm.
Freakin' A.
How do you unprogram your brain to NOT automatically tap the space bar twice after you end a sentence? Well, I'll tell ya', it's hard. I STILL do it.
I guess a long, long, long time ago (when we typed with typewriters), the typewriter put an equal space IN the sentence, as well as at the END of a sentence. All the spaces were the same size, so in order to have a "visual space" at the end of the sentence, you had to type TWO spaces.
A-HA!!! So that's where that rule came from.
But ... hmmm ... why was I taught to do the same thing, on a word processing program, on a computer?!?!
Habit, maybe? IDK. I couldn't find the answer to that question.
Well now, dear peeps, technology has caught up with the "double space" rule and word processing programs AUTOMATICALLY re-size the space at the end of the sentence. That means you only need to type ONE space instead of two.
Granted, some people still prefer two spaces (me, lol).
Will you get rejected if you use two?
Highly unlikely.
But the general rule is to only tap that space bar ONCE!
Jeez. Now if I only get my fingers to cooperate.
~JD
15 comments:
You know, I've read this too and I am freaking out. (Two spaces) I have no idea how to stop doing it. (Automatic two spaces) and when I do only type one space, I automatically go back and correct it. (Two spaces again) UGH!!!
You know...I've started seeing where people are only using one space. I'm sooo used to two spaces though (and oft times a little rebellious...) that I don't think I'll be changing it any time soon. LOL
I guess I should be glad I never actually took a typing class. By the time I got to grad school and really started typing a lot of stuff, the one-space rule was in. Now I'm relieved--seeing what others are going through with this one-space struggle!
This makes me crazy. It's like our brain gets trained a certain way and breaking it is impossible. I have to remind myself al the time only to leave the one space. I am so glad it's not just me!
Never, JD!!! I am an oldie (but a goodie!!) and will always tap TWO SPACES after my full stops!
:-) Take care
x
I just read another post about this. I think it was on Friday. Yes, when I started writing seriously just a few years ago, I did a Google search about this. I was shocked at what I found. LOL Education changes, me thinkist.
yes!!! this is SO HARD to change!!! but!! if you use the look option to search for all two spaces, and then the replace to turn them into one, you can fix it when you're done! or at least that's what someone told me. :)
i'm lucky enough that i learned in college to stop with the double space idea. It took me a little bit of work, but now i'm a successful single spacer.
hi miss justine! i love the grammar police. i didnt ever do two spacers cause i just only learned keyboarding from on the computer. now im lucky cause i dont gotta unlearn it.
...hugs from lenny
I had to unlearn this rule about 5 years ago. I don't even think about it or notice anymore. One space has become common place for me. But I do cringe a little when I'm reading a beta's work and they still do the two spaces. I eventually adjust, but it's a shock to the eyes to start.
I also learned with the double-space rule but I've adjusted :)
I never learnt the double-space rule at school, but I don't think we had it in the UK. The first time I saw a double-space was when a CP used it.
I learned about this in college and they would make you down if you used two. This is why I use one now. :(
Yes, I actually know this rule. But I am with you. Hard to untrain your thumb after years of practice!
I'm SO with you!! It's Hard to remember!
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