Thursday, June 2, 2011

On Formatting, or "Things That Haunt Me"

I believe very strongly -- like, strongly enough to end relationships over it -- that sentences should end period space space. Period single space crushes me. I will hear no arguments about how we're no longer in a mono-space font universe and that period single space is the future: that's how animals end their sentences. Seriously, I've never seen a golden retriever hit the space bar twice after a period. Animals.

But I'm now back to blogging via blackberry (I bought one in Chiang Mai, which has the busiest English/Thai keyboard ever), emailing the posts to myself and blogger. Doing so totally destroys the formatting to begin with AND requires that I put the extra space in after each period manually, which is possibly the most annoying thing on earth.

So the burning question is: given the convenience of it, can I change to period single space without being too much of a hypocrite? That is, will the universe judge me harshly?

I have come to no final conclusion on this ethical dilemma question.

14 comments:

Dakota said...

I fear that every time I end a sentence with period single space, I will have no choice but to mentally say -- "woof."

Like an animal.

SCS said...

The internet had this argument, and you lost.

http://www.slate.com/id/2281146/

Dakota said...

Yeah, but here's the question -- after reading that screed, would you want to be friends with the author? I'm guessing no. And after reading my lovely period-double-spaced prose, would you want to be friends with me? Answer carefully.

Kelly said...

You absolutely cannot change to a period single space! But, on your Blackberry, if you simply type "space space" without a period, it will add in the period for you, thereby giving you the desired effect with the same number of keystrokes! A win-win, in my book!

Jaded Compass said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Donna said...

Single space, double space, I'll read your blog either way. But here's a suggestion: maybe think about not mentioning your ethical dilemma during a speed dating cycle. I sense it could kill your chances at love.

Nomads By Nature said...

Must agree with Donna. Great advice. BTW, great label categories for your post!

Rachel C said...

Oh no. I fear our friendship is in peril.

I feel equally strongly about a single space following a period. Double spaces make me want to throw things, and I painstakingly removed them from everything my former boss and my former Board Chair ever wrote before their copy was used.

It is a practice for dinosaurs, my friend. Get out of the Dark Ages and join us in the enlightened present.

b1482 said...

Somehow I think I may have triggered this blog post with one of my rants about bad typography.

-LT Granola

jsm said...

It's double space. And I love your blog. That is all.

globewriter2000 said...

Happy to help with your book project. www.storydrivenink.com

fsowannabe said...

I've got your back on the double space.

Donna said...

Hey, wait a minute! Does Lt Granola read your blog? Is that really him up there in the comments? It's like having a movie star in the audience, now that we all know him. Can we get him to guest post? Maybe we can get Killjoy in on it, too.

Rachel C said...

Fantastic Slate post about the double-space misconception:

http://www.slate.com/id/2281146/