The Importance of Correct Punctuation

[Abstraction]

Uh, no, I don't think I will. Even I --who do not care overly much about formalized style guides-- realize that there are more than one competing standard in the world of publishing.

There is more than one competing standard. However, all the ones quoted say to either not use two spaces, or that it is preferable to not use two spaces. Not one recommends it. So we seem to have unanimity from the style guidelines.

By the way, I have seen more than one person get fired from the places I have worked because they thought they could just do things their own way. I myself fired someone a couple months ago because she wouldn't follow guidelines.

If you wish to not follow guidelines, feel free. As the previous poster said (very well, too, I might add), if you are writing for a single person audience, then you must follow their guidelines. If you are writing, professionally, for mass market then you should really do yourself a favor and follow professional guidelines to only use one space after a period.

I really have done my best to give everyone the historical and design reasons behind why you used to use two spaces and now only use one. There is no contra-argument for using two spaces after a period. It is simply a very old convention that has no purpose but will not die.

On a related note, my wife is a biologist. I think you might be able to appreciate that when she teaches a group of students about evolution, which is central to the entire understanding of her coursework, she inevitably gets people who say: eh, it's just opinion. You can imagine how angry that makes her. Her entire schooling and training, built on a long tradition of science, dismissed as mere opinion. That's how I feel when people dismiss typographical and design standards as opinion/preference.

 

[Abstraction]

Now can we address my pet punctionational (is that a word?) peeve: misuse of apostrophes?

Yes. Another of my pet peeves. I really get angry about the misused apostrophe because, until about 3 years ago, I was one of the offenders. Let me see if I can find the link my proofreader gave me:

http://angryflower.com/bobsqu.gif

 

[reveal]

On a related note, my wife is a biologist. I think you might be able to appreciate that when she teaches a group of students about evolution, which is central to the entire understanding of her coursework, she inevitably gets people who say: eh, it's just opinion. You can imagine how angry that makes her. Her entire schooling and training, built on a long tradition of science, dismissed as mere opinion. That's how I feel when people dismiss typographical and design standards as opinion/preference.

We are not dismissing standards. What we have done is quoted to you various style guides, including one you touted as "the Bible," and you still refused to even acknowledge that it is a matter of opinion. Even the University of Chicago Press, which publishes your "Bible," states that it "discourages" the use of multiple spaces after periods. It does not state that it is unprofessional to use multiple spaces.

What we have been trying to say, and what you have been ignoring, is that punctuation is important. But because there are so many, many different guides out there, a person should find what their editor/professor/business prefers and use that style. My company has their own style guide; does that make them "wrong" if some of the styles it has decided upon to make our company's documentation and correspondence standard do not match what has been published in the Chicago Guide of Style or the MLA stylebook? Does it make every single piece of professional business documentation they have produced "amateurish?"

Regardless of what you think, not all people who do not follow the guidelines that you think are correct are less professional than you are. I highly doubt that every single professional, published author would agree with what you think is correct. But, according to your logic, this makes them amateurs. To think that way is just asinine.

 

[Abstraction]

It's kinda funny that you mention professional, published authors. What do they know of printing standards? Mostly nothing. Really, there is no reason they should. They hand their work off to design and print professionals, who then do their job.

 

[reveal]

It's kinda funny that you mention professional, published authors. What do they know of printing standards? Mostly nothing. Really, there is no reason they should. They hand their work off to design and print professionals, who then do their job.

And with that, I'm done. I've tried to rationalize my argument but you choose to consistently ignore it and continue to espouse your opinions. This has officially become pointless.

 

[bodhi]

This has officially become pointless.

And we hadn't even gotten to the Nazis.

 

[reveal]

And we hadn't even gotten to the Nazis.

Grammar Nazis?

 

[mojo1701]

Grammar Nazis?

Better than the real ones.

 

[reveal]

Better than the real ones.

True, true.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Better than the real ones.

Exxtemely true.