Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

@Omin, @mda, just a side note: I recommend using the (centuries old, I guess) established typography rule and putting a space between the number and the unit symbol. See [1] for additional info.

[1] SI Unit rules and style conventions, https://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/checklist.html




I never understand this pedantry. The GP is commenting on a forum, not writing a research paper. Who cares how they write, as long as they're understood?


It's just visually jarring. Do you consider your use of spaces after commas and periods and capitalizing the first word in a sentence "pedantry"? To me it's at the same level.


This is a style issue. Not at all on the same level. The ISO standard defines a space, but many, many style guides suggest otherwise. E.g. Very often you will find advice to omit space for one-letter abbreviations (i.e. '100g' not '100 g') — I believe this specific one is in the Chicago Manual of Style.


Keep being you. We all have our weird things that bother us. Apparently the spaces issue is centuries old and used a minority of the time, so you've just got a lot of convincing to do. Maybe you can multiply your effects by writing bots that, for instance, submit github pull requests. Good luck!


hey at least they're not doing something absolutely and deliberately idiotic like putting the % in front of the number like a currency symbol.


It is specifically:

#15 Unit spacing

There is a space between the numerical value and unit symbol, even when the value is used in an adjectival sense, except in the case of superscript units for plane angle.




Join us for AI Startup School this June 16-17 in San Francisco!

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: