Re: search/replace program

[WooF owlswick@xxxxxxxx]

On Wed, 27 Mar 2002, Carl Distefano wrote:

>
> Reply to note from WooF  Tue, 26 Mar 2002
> 23:57:32 -0500 (EST)

> So why is the punctuation mark outside the italics here:
>
> > "Did you see the movie _Titanic_?"
>
> but inside the italics here?
>
> > "I did see the movie _Titanic."_
>
> Is it a function of the question mark vs. the period, or what? Does
> the rule vary from typeface to typeface depending on how the spacing
> looks, or is it invariable? What *is* the rule?

Punctuation marks which look different in the normal and
the italic font follow logic: In the question above, the question
mark is not part of the name of the movie. Punctuation marks
which look the same in the normal and the italic fonts (period,
comma, single and double quotation marks) should be in the same
font as the immediately preceding word, in order that the spacing
(technical term: "kerning") will come out right.

Proportional typefaces come with preferred spacing between
various pairs of letters, and between various letters and
punctuation marks -- as an example, some fonts will tuch a period
or comma under the overhanging part of the letter "r" or "y."

But as far as I know, these tables of preferred spacings do not
extend to a pair consisting of one letter in italics and another
in normal type.

George H Scithers of owlswick@xxxxxxxx