Re: RFC: new vertical layout engine

[Trevor Daniels]

Kieren MacMillan wrote Saturday, July 25, 2009 6:30 PM

> Thanks for the reference — for subsequent thread-followers, I also 
> recommend
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-spaced_sentences>
>
> > Indeed, I just see that @frenchspacing is only used for French 
> > and
> > Japanese (the latter only partially).  It should be activated for 
> > all
> > languages except, perhaps, English.  Note that I don't care what 
> > you
> > native speakers actually decide for English
>
> Excellent!
> Then I nominate @frenchspacing (i.e., single-spaced sentences) be 
> used for the English docs, consistent with the overwhelming 
> majority  of modern English typographic style guides and 
> practice...
> Seconder? Opposed? Abstentions?

I've no problem with either one or two spaces
as a standard in the docs, but I tend to
automatically type two as I was raised on
monospaced mechanical typewriters and later
monospaced teletypes and screens.  I still prefer
a monospaced font for email - I find it much easier
to read.  It is customary to use two spaces at
the end of a sentence when using a monospaced font.
In fact it was the standard taught to professional
typists in England until word processors and
proportional fonts appeared.

Trevor