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Original post by sunandshadow
Because collapsing whitespace to a single space is _wrong_ behavior and we're waiting for the web to catch up to real typography. Publishers expect two spaces after periods, it makes printed text easier to read. They will tell you you're doing it wrong if you send them a manuscript with single spaces between sentences.
I can't say I've ever submitted a manuscript myself, but a quick look at some of the books on the shelf behind me indicates that the spaces after full stops are approximately the same as tgise between words. They're certainly not double the size!
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Original post by Christopher Loyd
In every English class you attend, double spacing after a sentence is required, and you'll be counted off for grammar if you choose not to do so. Common used grammar/citation guidelines such as APA also require it.
Learning the type was part of computing lessons, not English lessons over here. We used a monospace word processor on the BBC Micro and monospace dot-matrix or daisy wheel printers and so used two spaces. When I moved to Windows machines with graphical word processors and printers I reverted to the usual single space.
The first result I found for the
APA guidelines states "Space once after a period, comma, colon, or semi‑colon."
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Basically, it boils down to common practice in school systems -- It's what we're taught, why change it?
It reminds me a little of people who indent paragraphs by hammering away on the space bar then inserting hard line breaks at the end of each line. This avoids deficiencies in mechanical typewriters, but now that we have advanced software word processors there's little reason to hang on to these archaic practices. [smile]
