on spaces

16 Jan 2011

*Mikey</b>: So how many spaces do you guys use after a period?
**Trent: one
Mikey: Just one?
Trent: well no.. one, and then another.
Mikey: so two spaces..
Trent: yeah, I guess you could call it that.. two spaces.
Sue: definitely. two spaces. that’s like industry standard
Trent (to Sue): you know, I used to use two spaces. Now everyone in town uses two spaces.. Three spaces is kinda money now, don’t you think?
Sue: … Yeah. But two’s enough not to look anxious…
Trent: Yeah.. two’s enough not to look anxious, but three spaces is kinda money..
Mikey (interrupting sarcastically): Why don’t I just use 21 spaces and 1 blank page for every written one
Charles: .. and some oxford commas
Mikey: Yeah, I’ll use three oxford commas and 21 spaces.. How’s that, T? Is that “the money”?
*laughter*
Trent: Laugh all you want, but if you use too few spaces, you can scare off a nice baby who’s ready to party.
Sue: Don’t listen to him. You use as many spaces as feels right to you.
Mikey: So how many spaces are you guys gonna use?
Trent & Sue (in unison): 6 spaces.
*</p>

(Some context, if you uh.. don’t follow the grammar circuit: http://www.slate.com/id/2281146/)

(And some other context, for those of you who haven’t seen Swingers, in which case you must go rent it IMMEDIATELY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aN4w2AfkEY)