Do people still type double space after periods during the post-typewriter era? Single space after a period is standard these days.

One of CSE's clients requires double space after periods and it drives me crazy.

I'm a single spacer, but have been told that some software reads a single space as no space and two spaces as one. Not sure if that's true, but I've seen instructions to use two spaces and wondered if that was why.

That's another argument in my group -- to single space or double. I'm always surprised at the number of younger people who were taught to double space. I thought it was just us old folks.

IMHO, it would make no sense to have software that reads a single space as no space. That would mean that there are no spaces between words. That would be ridiculous.

As a high school student, I was taught to double space. That was in the days before proportional spacing and was done to make reading newspapers, typed reports, etc. easier. That need disappeared when proportional spacing became the de facto standard in the 1990s. There is one MSC that still requires 2 spaces. I type it with a single space, and then do a search and replace for "period-space" to change it to "period-space-space". Why that MSC wants two spaces is beyond me. Even worse are the MSCs which want EVERYTHING ENTERED IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

@BirdyC wrote:

I'm a single spacer, but have been told that some software reads a single space as no space and two spaces as one. Not sure if that's true, but I've seen instructions to use two spaces and wondered if that was why.

That's another argument in my group -- to single space or double. I'm always surprised at the number of younger people who were taught to double space. I thought it was just us old folks.

I recently did two shops for an MSC that I had never worked for (and wouldn't have, had I read the long thread about their payment issues!) . I don't like long narratives but if I sign up for a shop that requires them, I will do a detailed and thorough job. They both came back with snitty comments such as "this was SO difficult to edit. It took me a long time because you wrote too much", "don't ask about things you aren't planning to buy," (tires, which was part of the shop requirements, not to mention really was something I needed a price on!) and "next time, don't include exact quotes because we didn't ask for them."

I was rather surprised that TOO MUCH detail and TOO MANY verbatim quotes were her pain points, which I've never heard to be a problem from any MSC. They were not low paying shops, either, so I was just attempting to provide the level of effort that the payment reflected, and I went to some length to give a complete picture of the situation and each interaction. I'm also worried I'll end up not even getting paid!

I haven't double-spaced since maybe the late 70s or early 80s (probably when IBM Selectrics came out, but it's so long ago I can't remember), but there are people who still do, and it can be a bone of contention. I also learned to typeset on one of the first commercially available computerized typesetting machines, so single-spacing has been instinctive for me for decades. But apparently some instructors still teach double-spacing. Which is very weird.

I'm guessing the particular client I was told to double-space for was CSE's client. But indeed there is some folklore out there that perpetuates the idea that you *must* double-space in order for some software to be able to "read" narratives properly. I agree it sounds far-fetched, but I'm just repeating what I was told.

As far as entering text in all caps, that's ridiculous. Don't they know it's akin to YELLING? And it's so hard to read; the editors must be driven crazy looking at it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2019 12:22AM by BirdyC.

@greenwhite11 wrote:

360 Intel on ISS. No flexibility whatsoever even when things go wrong.

I have never had a problem with them in the 30+ shops that I have done for them. I even got approved and paid for when I wasn't able to get a receipt for one of the shops. I feel like they just instantly approve a shop as soon as it's entered. I've often times gotten a "shop submitted" email and then a "shop accepted" email in less than 5 minutes.

I just received the lowest grade I’ve ever received on anything in my entire life. This was the comment: “Shop accepted. Grade 3/5. The shop contained consistent information and the receipt validated the shop. Thank you!” I am baffled, but also very upset. I sent a email asking for clarification but haven’t heard back.

I stopped doing the fast food drive-through shops for DSG. In one, I reported that the display screen in the drive-through was "not working. The screen was black." The editor flagged it (along with six other items) and asked "What was wrong with it?" Having had trouble with this editor before, I replied "As indicated in the report, the screen was not working. It was completely black. I can go back and ask the manager to let me look through the electronics of the screen system, but I doubt that they'll let me."
In another report for the same client, the same editor asked for a critique of the food. The only question about the food in the report asks "Was the food tasty?" (or similar language). There is no space for comments unless you say "No." These are $6 shops, where the reimbursement($5) doesn't even cover the cost of an average order. I told the editor that if she wants a food critique, they'll have to pay more than $6. In her same email, she asked another question of me. I reported that I had been told to "Drive around back" to wait for my food. The editor asked if I had been told to "pull backwards." In a drive-through? How do you pull backwards?
Anyway, I've stopped taking their calls. It makes me mad because they have another shop that I like.
By the way, DSG calls two or three times a day.
(Please note my use of two spaces after a sentence. Been doing it that way for sixty years.)

Worms. It's can of worms, though I never understood what it meant. And what a disgusting visual, lol!

@shopperbob wrote:

Birdy states--If you're referring to "what" instead of "which," what is correct in the context.

Bob agrees--With respect to what I was taught in the 50's, which would have been the choice in a stated comparative sense. Which MSC is the strictest. company A or B? I do realize, though, that times can alter grammar. Please chime in with your thoughts on the subject.

As to the comma, talk about the proverbial "can of works." I much prefer black & white; gray is too ambiguous for me.

I knew he meant "worms" and figured it was just a typo due to the "m" and "k" being close on the keyboard.

Back in Rochester, we had a highway "system" around the city that was called "the can of worms." If you want an example of what people mean when they say that, it was a perfect representation. Roads coming together and crossing over one another, ramps willy nilly, bridges going over and under roads, etc. It looked like that disgusting visual to which you allude!

NB: They "fixed" it, but it's still not the best road system around....

JASFLALMT corrects Bob--Worms. It's can of worms

Birdy adds--I knew he meant "worms" and figured it was just a typo due to the "m" and "k" being close on the keyboard.

Bob replies--Both are, of course, correct; I, during proof reading my post, missed the typo.

Remington, no question. You have to write a novel, too.

As a group, I've found the Intellishop editors can be a real PITA. Of course, from time to time, I've run into individual editors with many of the MSCs who can be 'trying'--to say the least. It seems to happen a lot with new editors looking to make their 'mark' with a company. Also, some particular client assignments can prove more challenging than other clients' jobs with the same MSC. In this regard, Bare and ACL come to mind.

Luckily, the majority of the shops I perform nowadays are video--which, as a general rule, require way less written input. The video pretty much says it all. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then that makes videos a library's worth of words. LOL!!

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2019 07:01PM by jncut.

Yes. Double spacing after a period is proper formatting. It is mandatory on official documents, government correspondence and anything other is considered slang. Emails for the most part are considered interoffice correspondence and friendly chatter so it is not necessary to be so formal. I type Courts Martial proceedings for the military. My paperwork stands in the Library of Congress for all time. If I did not follow the rules, I wouldn't be winning any bids for work!

@jncut wrote:

As a group, I've found the Intellishop editors can be a real PITA.

I just signed up with them recently and have done only three shops for them, but I found the editors extremely easy! (10's on all three.) Maybe it was because of the particular shops.

Now I've probably jinxed myself! LOL.

Coyle, by far, is the most picky and demanding. I'm a retired manager from a position which required technical writing, grant writing, manual writing, etc. I have a fair command of the English language. I've also worked as a proofreader early in my career. Generally, I pay close attention to detail. I never got over a 7 score from Coyle. They are demeaning, insulting and too subjective. I don't apply for jobs with them anymore. Besides, it's a big payout with a month wait for reimbursement.

I think it depends on the editor, more than the MSC. I do certain phone shops every month and usually get 9 or 10s. But there is one particular editor who always questions my answers, Even questions why I choose yes or no on some questions.

I hate repetetive and double questions. "Did the host smile and wait till you were seated to hand you menus?" Yes or no ? Then you have to write out, she smiled but she did not wait for me to be seated to hand us menus. So which is it? Yes or no?

Kinesis -- only because a certain editor rubber stamps "Moderate spelling and grammar errors" when there are none. Otherwise, Coyle. It's sometimes justified; other times, it's just the editor being an ass.

Easiest = Ipsos

I've experienced the same things with various MSC editors. It is definitely frustrating. I think us shoppers should be able to evaluate the scheduler and editor. Some don't realize they would not have a job without shoppers.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Service Check

To be clear, we're not speaking about International service check?

@unclebobg -- You probably didn't notice that this forum automatically truncates a double-space after period into a single-space after periods. How do I know? Cause I'm a double-spacer also and noticed it one day...lol!

@rboggs127 -- The answer is No since both conditions weren't met. I also dislike these compound questions as the server/host/associate doesn't get any credit for the part they get right.

@rboggs127 wrote:

I hate repetetive and double questions. "Did the host smile and wait till you were seated to hand you menus?" Yes or no ? Then you have to write out, she smiled but she did not wait for me to be seated to hand us menus. So which is it? Yes or no?

It's no because the question is phrased with "And." Did the server do xx AND yy? If only one then, no. Did the server do xx OR yy? Yes, one of those things was done. That's how I read those questions, anyway.

@calicakes wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Service Check

To be clear, we're not speaking about International service check?

I'm not and you?

@azncollege wrote:

Do people still type double space after periods during the post-typewriter era? Single space after a period is standard these days.

One of CSE's clients requires double space after periods and it drives me crazy.

I always double space after a period, that's what I learned and no one ever said a thing about it.....

juncut said "Luckily, the majority of the shops I perform nowadays are video--which, as a general rule, require way less written input. The video pretty much says it all. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then that makes videos a library's worth of words. LOL!!"


juncut, may I inquire as to what video equipment you use for these shops? Thank you!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2019 01:47PM by dpwhitten.

This may not be exactly related, but I am astounded when the instructions say one thing, one editor says another, and then an editing supervisor says yet a third thing....That whole runaround makes me nervous because the editors get to play God and withhold payment....which is the whole point, from my perspective!

I'm experiencing the same thing with an MSC now. I stopped shopping for this company 6 years ago because of their editor(s) for the same reason. I decided to give them another chance, but getting the same results. Never again. They permanently lost this shopper/

Well, in my experience, some editors just want to knock you off your 10/10 or 90's average and have to produce an error to make it interesting. I admit I have had some errors but in this particular case, the editor's evaluation I knew was off the mark. She accused me of not explaining my "no" answer and docked me a point. Then said something that I knew was not my work. Then lo and behold, she called me a different name.

So I asked who that person was and she said she was editing a number of reports and that one was next to mine. Ok, so?

The next time I made a report for that MSC, I separated my "No" explanation so the editor would notice it. Sure enough, I was called out by another editor for not making the flow of evaluation smooth. I explained and she said, I kept your 10/10, Lol!

I try not to make any negative remark bother me because we are all human. As long as the score will not affect my qualification for good shops, I let it go. And I do make some errors, I admit that but there are reports to be made on time.

I get upset with any score below 9 especially when my average for a company is 10 and an editor throws a 5 in without providing me with a legitimate reason. I called and emailed the owner, but did not get a call back or response. This MSC has poor ratings and very slow pay. The 5 cut them from my active list of MSC's.