Bad Habit

Note to self…you so gotta get this one down this new year.

Two spaces after a period: Why you should never, ever do it - Slate Magazine

“Most ordinary people would know the one-space rule, too, if it weren't for a quirk of history. In the middle of the last century, a now-outmoded technology—the manual typewriter—invaded the American workplace. To accommodate that machine's shortcomings, everyone began to type wrong. And even though we no longer use typewriters, we all still type like we do.”

That’s my excuse.

Of all the classes I took in high school, I credit my elective typewriting class for making the greatest contribution to my successes in college and the later transition into a technology career.

With no fear of typing, I was able to sit down at any keyboard with confidence. While no speed-demon at the time, I could touch-type at will and pound out anything needed. I could quickly and confidently organize my thoughts and communicate them. All because of those hours in front of that blue IBM Selectric III typewriter. I never lost that skill though the mechanical feedback isn’t the same anymore and I have to resort to running ClicKey when I really want my fingers to fly across the keys.

Adding that darned double spacing after each sentence was drilled into me in those classes and it is just maddening to abandon.

Here’s hoping for tighter copy this year.

Claus V.