@porsche: The conclusion is that, when you style your own work, on your own word processor, you can do whatever you want. You can end every sentence with "[STOP]" if you want, too! But when your work gets published elsewhere, such as on the web, or in book or magazine where typography is a main concern, the space will be removed (barring use of monotype fonts). **And no one notices.**

Case in point: At my job, the style is officially double-space. But for more than ten years I've been replacing double-spaces with single-spaces in the blink of an eye. Guess how many people have noticed? NONE. ZERO. NOBODY HAS SAID A WORD. **No one notices.**

Another useful article on the subject with visuals:
http://www.itcfonts.com/Ulc/4111/DoubleSpaces.htm

What's your style book, scyllacat?

Douglas has a good point. Even Dougchebag used only one space in his post.

As a matter of fact, every person here used a single space in their post. Even the librarian! And no one noticed, or complained. That should tell you something about the dodo nature of the double space.

Chicago Manual of Style says one space:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/CMS_FAQ/OneSpaceorTwo/OneSpaceorTwo_questions01.html

The visual appeal you might find from double spaces after periods, colons, etc., is merely a visual holdover from your youth when you were taught on the typewriter. There is no visual appeal for computer systems that are using variable width fonts and that adjust fonts for various layout appeal issues.

Unless you type in a monospaced font like Courier or use a metal press (as I still get to do sometimes). Then by golly, use double spaces.

But if you hand your copy over to a designer to design with a computer, he will gleefully do a search and replace on the double spaces before publishing your copy.

Your best bet for your Manifesto that will be found by the police after your arrest is double spacing after periods. Or if you’re a screenwriter, where the norm is to type in a monotype font.

As someone who works on a computer continually, I save myself from early carpal tunnel syndrome by saving thousands of keystrokes a day.

Chicago Manual of Style says one space:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/CMS_FAQ/OneSpaceorTwo/OneSpaceorTwo_questions01.html

The visual appeal you might find from double spaces after periods, colons, etc., is merely a visual holdover from your youth when you were taught on the typewriter. There is no visual appeal for computer systems that are using variable width fonts and that adjust fonts for various layout appeal issues.

Unless you type in a monospaced font like Courier or use a metal press (as I still get to do sometimes). Then by golly, use double spaces.

But if you hand your copy over to a designer to design with a computer, he will gleefully do a search and replace on the double spaces before publishing your copy.

Your best bet for your Manifesto that will be found by the police after your arrest is double spacing after periods. Or if you're a screenwriter, where the norm is to type in a monotype font.

As someone who works on a computer continually, I save myself from early carpal tunnel syndrome by saving thousands of keystrokes a day.