I came across this article yesterday, and it warmed my heart:
“Space Invaders: Why you should never, ever use two spaces after a period” by Farhad Manjoo
As a writer doing a tedious job in the corporate world, I am hyper-sensitive to the writing that is going on around me. Just a few months ago, I was helping a co-worker compose an email. I was shocked to see her double space between sentences! After all, she is a youthful 29 years old. I thought that using double spaces between sentences was antiquated typography…sure, my mother still does it, but she learned to type in the ’70s, so I give her a break. But everyone else in the free world should know that single spaces are correct, more visually pleasing, and frankly, just better. Now, if we could just get people to understand the difference between “your” and “you’re”…
Photo courtesy of slate.com.
Right and wrong do not exist in graphic design. There is only effective and non-effective communication.”
— Peter Bilak – Illegibility
Good point, but couldn’t you argue that the double space is distracting and no longer culturally accepted, therefore lessening (even if it’s just by a little) the how effective the communication is?
Personally, I like to think that what I write is so
captivating that no one would notice that I
double space!!! It all comes down to personal
preference I think, more than a widespread
cultural issue…..;o)