You ask them this one question -- when they come to the end of a sentence, do they type one space or two spaces before starting a new sentence? That's all -- do they add one space or two?
If they use two spaces, that means they're old. If they use one space, they're young.
Why is this? The answer is interesting.
If they use two spaces, it means they grew up learning how to type on a typewriter. The keys on a typewriter produce monospaced typeface. When typewriters were common, the practice was to add two spaces to create enough space between sentences to make reading easier. That's what everyone was taught.
If the person uses one space instead of two, it means they are young and learned how to type on a computer. Computers use proportional typeface which automatically create extra space between sentences without the typist having to do it manually.
Despite the current ubiquity of computers, they haven't been around forever. I didn't start using one until the middle of my career, 25 years ago. Before then, we all used typewriters, along with liquid white-out and carbon-paper.
Do you know what carbon-paper is? If not, you're a kid!
Well, I learnt to type on a computer (although we did have a typewriter which we played with) and my teacher told us to use two spaces so I do that still! I do know about carbon copy paper, we used it for credit cards at the hotel I worked at!x
ReplyDeleteI do two spaces and learned to type on a computer, but my parents and teachers learned on typewriters, so that is probably why.
ReplyDeleteI had a science teacher who made us copy lab reports using carbon paper. That seemed like a lot of effort, when I could have just typed them on a computer and made two copied.
I have thought about this long and hard, and I have come to the conclusion that 2 spaces visually matches the pause that happens in your mind when you read a sentence. So I use two. See? I just did. I just did it again...
ReplyDeleteI still see younger people (younger than me!) doing two spaces, even though all word processing now says to use one (I use one, even though I learned to type on a manual typewriter).
ReplyDeleteHell, yes, carbon paper - but did you know how to operate a Gestetner machine?? You had to buy special paper that you typed on, then pulled apart, then clamped one of the sheets onto a roller, put the liquid into the machine and you cranked out copies. They made purple copies and always smelled very distinctive. Prior to Xerox copying, Gestetners were heavily used in schools (there is a scene in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" where all the kids sniff their copies). I last used one in 1987 at university, because I couldn't afford to pay 15 cents per copy at the copy machine. The sheets of paper used for Gestetners were 15 cents each, but I could make up to 30 copies per page - I was in Creative Writing and had to make a lot of copies for my workshops.
Now, there's a flashback!
Sheila -- my dad used a Gestetner (he was a teacher). I clearly remember the smell! Thanks for the Proustian moment.
DeleteWe had them, only we called them by their generic name "mimeograph machines." I never heard the term Gestetner; Wikipedia says it was one of the manufacturers of such machines.
DeleteThanks for the memories..."take one and pass the rest back" sniff...
DeleteI know what all that is. I'm only twenty five, but all my school papers until 11th grade were typed on a "modern" typewriter. Man those things were a pain in the ass if you made a mistake.
ReplyDeleteI never really learned to type the proper way. I just bypassed the learning bit with straight brain to hand typing because of instant messaging in the early oughts.I only one-space, but yep definitely learned to type on a ye-old-fashioned type writer!
I refused to learn how to type so I never learned the two space rule.
ReplyDeleteDoes that make me young? Young at heart, anyway.
Ally, I was perusing Suzanne's 40+ MeetUp page. Your portrait is STUNNING! Can't wait to meet you face to face!
Thanks but... I don't look as pretty in real-life. Especially as a boy.
DeleteI'm a two space gestetner sniffer here. One interesting point that hasn't been raised: on an iPhone, hitting the space button twice inserts a period and a space, so technically, many young people space twice!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that. Interesting. I don't have a smartphone; I'm (deliberately) lagging behind on mobile technology. Thanks for the point.
DeleteThis is hilarious! I've thought about this before and knew that my kids think I'm weird for putting two spaces after a period. But I didn't really get the reason why.
ReplyDeleteEven funnier, my typing teacher in high school's name was Mr. Click. No kidding!
i just always did it to be considered double spacing but i've heard that no one does this anymore so i quit!
ReplyDeleteTwo. Oh no.
ReplyDeleteDouble spacing before typing a new sentence is second nature to me. It's legit now. I'm old!
ReplyDeleteI fall in the old camp! I always double space between my punctuation because that's how I was taught. I even try to double space on Twitter, but it can be a challenge to fit everything into 140 characters!
ReplyDeleteI use two spaces! I learned how to type on a typewriter at home, but on an old apple in school. Weird!
ReplyDeleteAh...you caught me : ) Ah well... you knew my age anyhow.
ReplyDeleteGood ol' white out! LOL Goopy mess that it become after a few uses.
bisous
Suzanne
I learned with 2 spaces, but now type 1...does that mean I'm young? I HOPE SO!!
ReplyDeleteSo interesting! I used to do two spaces, even though I learned typing on a computer. It's a hard habit to break.
ReplyDeleteI learned to type with one space between, but at work it's the house style to do two, so I spend my day in both worlds. I did grow up playing with my great-uncle's typewriter, but I don't think I ever wrote anything serious on it. It was a toy, like the old disconnected rotary phone I could dial for minutes on end.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I do two, so I am old too ;)
ReplyDeleteI think we're quite lucky and got to see and experience from both worlds…
Aaaaah! I'm a stickler on always doing two. I'm practically ancient!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely old ... I even change one to two spaces in other people documents ... just doesn't look right otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI started typing in 1978 in high school and till today I LOVE IT!!!!
a s d f g f space ; l k j h j space
Then into the working world and had a golf ball electric typewriter ... oh what joy!!!!
Then onto a word processor and eventually a computer ~ and now I wonder how we ever managed without it.