TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Spaces after full stop (let's stop) From:Tim Mantyla <TimMantyla -at- nustep -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Tue, 9 Oct 2007 16:12:15 -0400
Yikes! I'm struck at how much mental and listserv space people have
devoted to this minute and utterly inconsequential topic (MAIT or MAUIT)!
38 replies on the digest so far, and mine makes 39.
How much space resides between anyone's ears that they must obsessively
determine whether to close or widen their preferred number of spaces after
a period, and publicly announce their own preference and finding, after
searching online (who knows how long, an hour in some cases?) for the
"ultimate" authoritative answer(s)?
Sadly, I know actual obsessive compulsive persons who have done this on
equally minute and inconsequential topics (MAITs), and badgered others I
know with page upon page of their findings by email. If you're doing this,
get thee behind me, Devil--and to a psychiatrist!
Now, I know editors and techies have an obsessive and compulsive
streak--heck, it makes us better editors and technicians, and Lord knows
dictionaries would not exist without that trait...but really, is this
topic worth the effort and attention???
If "space is the final frontier," can this post please be the "final word"
on "Spaces after full stop?"
.
.
.
On a related topic, is there an Internet acronym for "(I Have) Better
Things To Do?" If not, I just invented it:
BTTD (even if they're TBD) and avoiding MAITs (or I'm seeing a shrink
ASAP),
Tim Mantyla
"Why not go stark raving glad?!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-