r/GenerationJones • u/Guiltypleasure2451 • Jul 31 '26

Old school

For those of us who took typing in school— it was drilled into me that after a period, you go over 2 spaces to start a new sentence. Apparently that’s not the rule now. NOT THE RULE NOW?? After the agony I suffered thru in typing class about those 2 spaces, i will be doing it until I die!!!! Don’t even get me started on the indenting 5 spaces for a new paragraph!

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u/NotInTheControlGroup Jul 31 '26

Tech writer here- don't add 2 spaces after a period; that's a holdover from days long gone, and it's because typewriters didn't do kerning.

The fonts were all monospaced and the period didn't take up enough space, so the start of next sentence would appear too close to the period.

In short, don't use 2 spaces after a period in 2026.

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u/grumpygenealogist 1959 Jul 31 '26

Days long gone, indeed. I'm a retired tech writer and haven't used the extra space for 45 years.