Goodbye Double Space

I’ve been wondering for quite sometime (a few years in fact) as to why the younger generation don’t double space after ending a sentence with a full-stop while I do.

I learnt to type at school back in the early ’80s.  We used Olivetti typewriters and learned about home keys and carbon paper.  Woe betide anyone who didn’t punch out a double space at the end of a sentence.

I decided to do some research and it turns out that I come from a ‘bygone era of clattering typewriters’.   According to Jacob Funnell, it’s ‘simply old-fashioned’ while others find it makes the text look ‘gappy and distracting’.  And according to Telegraph columnist Damian Thompson, it’s a ‘typographical atrocity’. Wow!  Sorry.

The explanation as to why the double space is not a requirement any longer is straight forward and makes perfect sense.  Turns out modern fonts and software are designed for single spaces; our pc’s are programmed to make an additional allowance and a bigger gap.  So why still the double spaces? you ask.  Do you remember what it feels like when you drive an automatic car for the firs time?  Your left foot twitches out for the clutch at every opportunity.  I’ve even heard of drivers having to tie their left foot to the seat to stop it from interferring with the process. Well this is how my thumb is feeling right now.  I don’t even have to think about double spacing, it just happens.  How am I going to change my ways? I will have to be more mindful with my typing. It will take time so please bare with me. I’m trying. What do you think? Did you see what I did there? Are there any double spacers still out there?