No, Bella did not start typing on the keyboard again.
is the HTML code for a blank space or a non-breaking space.
Are you thoroughly confused now? Let me start from the beginning.
What Is “ ” And A Non-Breaking Space?
HTML is the abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language which is a standardized system for tagging text files to create a specific font, color, graphic, and to create hyperlink effects on World Wide Web pages.
Sometimes it is necessary while coding a page to put in a blank space so that everything lines up correctly. That’s where becomes quite handy because is the HTML code that represents a blank space.
This is how the code might look if it were used as a double-spaced indention in front of a paragraph:
Paragraph sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence.
This is how it would appear to the reader of the website:
Paragraph sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence sentence.
Can you tell that there is some space in front of the word “Paragraph”? If not, it proves my point about why it isn’t a good idea to use the blank space code of as a means to indent a paragraph. Some browsers scrunch multiple blank space HTML codes of together which defeats the whole purpose of using them!
Best Use For “ ” As A Non-Breaking Blank Space
I have found that one of the best uses of the non-breaking blank space is to prevent the separation of words. For instance, if I type “6 ft” or “1 mi”, I definitely don’t want the “6” and “ft” or the “1” and “mi” to be separated on different lines of a paragraph. If the “6 ft” hits the end of a sentence, I don’t want the “ft” to drop to the next line. To prevent this from happening, I would type “6 ft” and it would appear as “6 ft” to the reader without separating the characters from each other on two different lines even if it hit the end of a sentence.
Personally, I find that using to keep important words together as the best usage of the HTML code.
Now you know that is the HTML code for a non-breaking blank space. When you least expect it, you will probably find a use for the code and I’m sure it will pop up in conversation quite casually.
For instance, when you are sitting around with your non-blogging friends eating a casual lunch, I don’t think you will say, “I’m so excited that I learned that “ ” is the HTML code for a non-breaking blank space and it is going to help me never have words separate at the end of a sentence again!” But when you are sitting in front of your computer monitor typing like a fiend, some day you will have a couple words that you want to stay stuck together. That’s when the light bulb will go off and you’ll remember that is the HTML code for a non-breaking blank space.
I know…this was a totally exciting post! In all honesty, is some of the first HTML code I learned and I really do get all pumped up talking about it.
=whooooop=
=whooooop=
=whooooop=
That was your Nerd Alert warning.
This post was so boring that not even Skip commented on it! (Well, at least Skip had not commented on it by the time I was writing my comment. Maybe he commented on it and you had not published his comment yet. I am only bringing up Skip’s name because he seems to be one of your faithful readers who always comments on your posts and besides, it hard not to notice what an awesome looking beard he has!)
But getting serious now, Redhead Riter, (enough about Skip and his awesome looking beard), I really wish that you had written about Alyssa or Bella or Turtle or even Skip’s awesome looking beard. Anything but  ’s. Such a dull subject. However, being a devoted reader of your blog, I did read every word that you wrote (which in this case proved to be a real accomplishment). 🙂 I cannot say that I understood everything you wrote, or that I will ever use the HTML code,  , for a non-breaking blank space, but one thing did become abundantly clear to me as I read your post – you are a brilliant nerd! I mean, who else, but you, would get so excited over  ’s that they would write an entire post about them! 🙂
I AM LAUGHING MY BUTT OFF JOAN!!!
I’m sure you didn’t understand a word of it because HTML does not interest you ONE BIT! How do I know that? Well, because I designed both of your blogs (http://abadmarriageisfattening.com & http://www.richbeyondmywildestdreams.com). You knew what you wanted and how you wanted it to look, but every time I got excited about a code capability and tried to share it with you —you didn’t care! All you cared about was, “When will you be finished?!” and “Did you add this or that?!” I think that whole experience is a story in itself, isn’t it? I think it will definitely make it to the pages of my book. 😉
Just like I tell my mother, the “Blog Teaching Posts” are not exciting to everyone, but I’m sure they are helpful to some people. On those days I teach blogging like this, just click on a pretty picture in the sidebar and read something else. 😀
About Skip…YES! He does comment all the time and I love it! I don’t know if he will like this post either, but he will still have something nice to say just like you managed to do! LOL Oh yeah, thanks for calling me a “brilliant nerd” because that IS a wonderful compliment!!!
{{{{hugsssss}}}}
Thanks for the non-mind numbing refresher that is the HTML code for a non-breaking blank space. :0
😉 Happy weekend to you!
LOL Bev!!!!!!! Somehow your exuberance over this post doesn’t surprise me a bit! 😉
Yep, there are nerds. I also have read every single word on this post. Maybe one day, I will let my goatee grow into a full long beard and get compliments too. 🙂
LOL Stéfan! Okay, we will be on the lookout for a long goatee picture of you some day! 😉
LOL! ayuh, I’m another nerd, as well as a devoted commenter on the Redhead blog! Often I’m among the first to comment, since I’m usually either up late enough or awake early enough to read it soon after it is released. However, last night I was up quite late designing my own blog, which I hope to have ready for prime time soon (largely thanks to the help of a certain brilliant Redheaded Nerd), so eventually I faded out without first reading her latest post, & I indulged myself this morning by alternately sleeping & being a slug-a-bed listening to my favorite Saturday morning NPR programs.
Actually, Joan, I was delighted to see this reminder about   ; – in the past I had a website, now long gone, so I’m familiar with HTML, but had forgotten about the very useful non-breaking function of this bit of code. (I *told* you I’m a nerd!) I too laughed out loud (LOL’d) at Joan’s comments about the boring post & my awesome looking beard!!!
Yes, I love this post! It’s great being amused & informed at the same time! Happy Saturday! 🙂
hmmmmm… now I see I need a reminder about how to write code (like the non-breaking blank space) in text so the code itself shows in the text, not its function! See – I told you I’m also a nerd… but a forgetful one! LOL
Skip,
I fixed the code for you. 😉 I will do a post on how to type code so that it shows up as code instead of the function. Great idea for another EXCITING blogging tips post that I’m sure my mother, Joan and Bev will just LOVE! LOL LOL LOL
And Saturday IS the day to be lazy and sleep in! I’ve got to run now to the DMV before they close and THAT is NOT a fun Saturday activity!!!
I for one learned something today and actually found your post quite useful – so thank you.
LOL Thank you and you’re welcome, Leigh!!!
I can hardly wait to tell my husband. He’s always sharing little nuggets of wisdom from his work. Now I have something. 🙂
Louise,
Your comment made me smile. Your hubby is going to be so impressed with your tidbit of nerdy information! 😉
I am just starting to understand html so this was pretty interesting to me. Thanks
Elizabeth! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it!!! As you can tell, many people just DO NOT like coding LOL
I still haven’t memorised how to do one of these non-breaking spaces despite coding since the mid 90’s! Will I ever learn? Thanks for being my point of reference – I guess you could call my HTML scripting style ‘social’ since I’m constantly referring to others in the software community in regards on how to do HTML, Javascript, etc 🙂
I’m going to tell you the mnemonic device that I use to remember this, but no one can laugh!
So it is a “blank space” kind of like a blank area in the forest or flooring in the home. So I think “it is perfect right here”
“& no body should pee” ;
I just have to remember that it ends with ;
I have no idea how I thought of that, but I guess being a mommy distorted my brain. LOL