The Importance of Correct Punctuation

[Warrior Poet]

That's how I feel when people dismiss typographical and design standards as opinion/preference.

I'm not dismissing your standards. I'm dismissing your imperious tone.

"Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive."

(Wow, 500 posts in 3 1/2 years. Now I'm really rolling!)

I'm catching up! Where's my cane? (Seeing as how I must be an old convention that simply refuses to die )

Warrior Poet

 

[Abstraction]

I'm not dismissing your standards. I'm dismissing your imperious tone.

This discussion about spaces all started when I listed it as my worst pet peeve. Don't expect people to discuss pet peeves calmly. But thanks for understanding.

 

[Desdichado]

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.

Actually, he had a pretty good point there, though.

And I have a feeling that the world is --if I don't agree that it actually has yet-- migrating to a one space standard. I should probably start trying to break the habit of typing two spaces now.

 

[Warrior Poet]

Don't expect people to discuss pet peeves calmly. But thanks for understanding.

Upon further reflection, I recognize that I was offsides in my post, and I apologize to you, Abstraction. Though I disagree with the way you present your argument, such disagreement does not necessitate an uncivil response on my part.

Warrior Poet

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

you need to read This Book

Or this one!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-4702481-3398462?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[Abstraction]

Upon further reflection, I recognize that I was offsides in my post, and I apologize to you, Abstraction. Though I disagree with the way you present your argument, such disagreement does not necessitate an uncivil response on my part.

Warrior Poet

That's funny, because I didn't take you as uncivil. Just argumentative. That's different.

 

[sniffles]

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.

Good point!! I expect if we saw the uncorrected manuscripts of most novels we enjoy we'd discover that most authors don't know how to spell or punctuate properly (if there is a "proper" way to do either in our perpetually changing society).

Another pet peeve of mine: the utter and complete lack of quality proofreading in mass-market literature.

 

[Abstraction]

Another pet peeve of mine: the utter and complete lack of quality proofreading in mass-market literature.

Amen! It's not as if proofreaders are paid all that much. Unfortunately, just like good typesetting, quality is not an issue as much as throughput. This had led to, in my opinion, a terribly unfortunate circumstance of there being very few typesetters and proofreaders out there with experience and training. You can't believe the things I see that go to print that nearly make me flip. I'm not talking about the local pizza flyer, I mean prominent ads in major magazines. Apparently, nobody cares anymore.

 

[Warrior Poet]

That's funny, because I didn't take you as uncivil. Just argumentative. That's different.

Indeed, I was argumentative. But there was no need for my cheap shot Han-to-C-3PO remark, for which I tender apology.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled argument! (which I'm done with. You type one, I'll type two, to-may-to, tom-ah-to. It would be different if it were something truly egregious, like comma splice or improper apostrophe/possessive designation, which I suspect we'd agree on, he said, ending his sentence with a preposition. Damn, I hate that)

Warrior Poet

(Incidentally, I work as a writer/editor/proofreader in direct mail catalog publishing, and in my professional career, I edit/format/write for one space following periods. But in my personal work, I'll always type two, even knowing that html or an editor/type-setter will change it down the line. Frankly, at some point, I think typing [and I learned to type with two spaces after periods] becomes hard-wired, and I'm way, way to old to rip out the walls and substitute 220 for my wheezing, cloth-insulated 110)

 

[sniffles]

Amen! It's not as if proofreaders are paid all that much. Unfortunately, just like good typesetting, quality is not an issue as much as throughput. This had led to, in my opinion, a terribly unfortunate circumstance of there being very few typesetters and proofreaders out there with experience and training. You can't believe the things I see that go to print that nearly make me flip. I'm not talking about the local pizza flyer, I mean prominent ads in major magazines. Apparently, nobody cares anymore.

I know exactly what you mean. If I thought I could make a living at it I'd set myself up as a freelance proofreader; I read quite rapidly and could probably proofread quite a lot of material in a relatively short time. But it would likely make me sick having to read all the grammatical errors.

A friend of mine does some editing for game books, and oh the horror stories he tells of submissions he has to completely rewrite due to their poorly-written content...