[Dailydrool] Question marks

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

> Somebody asked about the question marks in between sentences. This  
> happens
> when a double space is left after a period and the start of a new  
> sentence.
> I know, I know, if you took old school typing, that's the way we  
> were taught
> was the right way, to double space after each sentence. But, for  
> some reason
> the Internet typing isn't the same.

Those of us who learned to type on manual or electric typewriters (I  
won't embarrass anyone by asking for a show of hands) were taught to  
leave two spaces after each period, colon, question mark, and  
exclamation mark. The reason for this is that each letter on a  
typewriter takes up the exact same amount of space when imprinted on  
the paper; a "k" is as wide as an "i", for example. Thus, when only a  
single space is left at the end of a typewritten sentence, the  
evenness of the letters on the line create the optical illusion of  
unbroken writing. Hence the use of the double space, which helps the  
eyes separate sentences from one another.

Enter computers. Unlike typewriters, computers allow individual  
widths for each letter. An "m" is measurably wider than an "r" when  
printed out. With the letters fitting together more closely and  
taking up different amounts of room on the page, a double space  
between two sentences actually looks a little off, as if there's too  
much room in there, which there is. The tightly fitting and non- 
uniformly-spaced words that a computer generates negate the need for  
double spacing.

For those who find themselves needing to write essays of only so many  
pages, eliminating all the double spaces can sometimes buy you an  
extra line or two to work with.

To make this basset related, I had to stop typing this about every  
seventh word to shove young Charlie back onto his bed on his half of  
our desk and off my mouse and keyboard. He's learned that he gets  
plenty of attention when he tries walking on my computer. Since it's  
a dreary, drizzly day here, he needs a lot of attention because he  
can't be outside patrolling for cats.

Elizabeth