Microsoft took a stand, and thus it was so.

In April, the software giant’s default settings in Word began flagging an error whenever a user put two spaces after a period, instead of just one.

Traditionalists sounded the alarm, recognizing that this outrage could imply the death knell for what had been common practice since the invention of the typewriter.

If you took typing way back when in high school, you knew that you had to finish every sentence with two spaces – whether ended by period, question mark, or exclamation point. There were always two spaces, and that was just how things were done.

But times (and Times Roman) changed.

The reason for two spaces was this: with non-proportional fonts like Courier, adding the extra space makes – to most minds – for an easier reading experience.

In a non-proportional font, each character takes up exactly the same amount of space on the page. And since most typewriters used Courier as their modus operandi, the habit of always adding two spaces became the standard.

Typesetters, however, leveraged proportional fonts like Times Roman, which uses varying lengths to display each of its characters and symbols. And in typeset books, magazines, newspapers, etc. they’ve never found the need for two spaces – one was plenty for legibility.

But with the rise of desktop publishing, and the multitude of fonts now available, the use of Courier has diminished. With it, the need for that extra space.

Or so they say…

According to the Wall Street Journal, the battle between the one- and two-spacers continues unabated – with #TeamTwoSpace carrying on the fight.

However, the dust will clear eventually, and I’m betting one-spacers will prevail. After all, hitting that space bar adds one more microsecond worth of effort to the already challenging task of writing – who can afford the time?

One thing we won’t debate is the need for a carefully crafted retirement portfolio that clearly lays out a path to the very best tomorrow possible. Call us at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online today to schedule your no-obligation checkup.

Regards,

Nikki Earley, CFP® & Dan Cuprill, CFP®

P.S.  To learn the steps you can take to protect and even capitalize on recent investment volatility in light of COVID-19, check out my webinar.