How many spaces after a period, one or two?

Well, the problem with html and spaces is it tends to collapse multiple spaces into one.

The next two lines each have 20 spaces between the words, at least, they did when I typed them...
Test Test


If you hit Quote, you'll see.

Quote: Wizard

typing teacher, Mrs. Grubb,

That name is perfect, (right out of central casting, or something).

I don't remember the names of either of my typing teachers. That's a shame, really. I had two semesters of typing classes over two years. The first one was on manual typewriters.

My kids haven't had any typing, or keyboarding, classes. As far as I can tell, they aren't offered. I think they figure kids will learn to type as they grow up. They seem to do alright with their online chatting, but that is now being replaced by group skype chat.

Another class that they don't offer anymore as a regular class is driver's ed. They have much shorter classes, if you can even call them that, that they sign up for outside of school.

Quote: Dalex64

Well, the problem with html and spaces is it tends to collapse multiple spaces into one.

The next two lines each have 20 spaces between the words, at least, they did when I typed them...
Test Test

Test                    Test

If you hit Quote, you'll see.

This is more of a function of the Internet browser.

All browsers do this: convert multiple spaces into one space.

The reality is, behind-the-scenes, the HTML code is doing extra tricks to show the spaces in that code box. And that's a function of this forum and the code tags.

Speaking of the old way, do you put a period before the "and" in a series or not. For example, do you type:

It drops oil, dirt, and grease everywhere.

OR

It drops oil, dirt and grease everywhere.

The browser renders spaces that way because it is an html rule.

http://code.stephenmorley.org/html-and-css/white-space-handling/

So yes, the browsers implement the space collapsing and space handling functions, but it is the html which defines it.

Quote: AZDuffman

Speaking of the old way, do you put a period before the "and" in a series or not. For example, do you type:

It drops oil, dirt, and grease everywhere.

OR

It drops oil, dirt and grease everywhere.

Usually a comma, but it depends on how the sentance sounds in my head with or without the pause.

That reminds me of a quote from a movie with a name that escapes me. Here is a metapseudo quote:

The actor says words which introduce a list: code, duty, honor. He then continues.

No "and" before honor. I always thought it sounded a little funny. I've heard it that way in other contexts, too.

I have also been taught two spaces after a period. I don't think I could change if I wanted to. I guess I am an old soul.

Quote: Dalex64

The debate rages on. When typing, or typesetting, how many spaces should you put after a period when ending a sentance?

What caused you to post this? Just hours later it was all over my Facebook and everyone was talking about it.

One posted an article confirming that one space was correct. That was followed by FB's stupid "suggested posts" feature, all of which agreed. To get some objectivity, I asked Google. Google confirms that one is correct.

Take that, Olds =p

Quote: Dalex64

Usually a comma, but it depends on how the sentance sounds in my head with or without the pause.

Nothing to do with sound, everything to do with sentence structure.

Quote: rxwine

I wonder how much time is involved in typing one extra space over a lifetime.

Some government printing office document omitted a comma on its title page and told complaining grammarians it saved 5,874.00 in ink. Perhaps some statistician can compute the number of pages saved with the lazy squeeze?