Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Longread #302 -- Space Invaders -- 4/24/13

It's amazing how often I still see multiple spaces after a period, and it's maddening. One space, people. This longread should settle it.

"Space Invaders" by Farhad Manjoo
Published on Slate, January 12, 2013

Eric

4 comments:

  1. I expected more damning evidence against double-spacing from this essay based on the preamble. His argument for single-spacing seems to be:

    1. I think it looks better.
    2. A long time ago, some people decided it should be one space. Later we changed it for typewriters, but I think deep down everyone knew we should go back later.

    If his only real evidence for single-spacing being "correct" is that it was agreed upon by a group, the fact that he now finds himself surrounded by double-spacers would make him in the wrong. Either way, this guy sounds like the kind of person you would want to keep two spaces away from at a party.

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  2. Really I liked this article because it agreed with me and has a strong appeal to authority. But mostly because it agreed with me.

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  3. No judgement passed. I don't hear anyone arguing for the aesthetic beauty of the double space.

    But back in college writing papers on (more often, past) a deadline, _any_ extra character was mighty fine lookin' to me.

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  4. I've been trying to convince my family of this for my entire writing life!!!!!!!!!!

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