Comments on: Give me space http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/ Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:17:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Frank http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/#comment-235 Frank Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:12:49 +0000 http://blog.frankwales.com/?p=354#comment-235 Spaces are not part of the post code data, they're only part of its recommended presentation on address labels and such like. This is a separate issue from their input into a form, and why it's a mistake to insist upon the space, as much as it would be to insist on post codes being entered in upper case. As proof that spaces aren't required, you need only look at the commercially-available Royal Mail post code database (called PAF); it stores all valid UK post codes without spaces. I know, because I've written code against it for interactive address look-up. (Admittedly, it doesn't include the magic post codes for Santa Claus or National Girobank, but they still work without spaces anyway.) Spaces are not part of the post code data, they’re only part of its recommended presentation on address labels and such like. This is a separate issue from their input into a form, and why it’s a mistake to insist upon the space, as much as it would be to insist on post codes being entered in upper case.

As proof that spaces aren’t required, you need only look at the commercially-available Royal Mail post code database (called PAF); it stores all valid UK post codes without spaces. I know, because I’ve written code against it for interactive address look-up. (Admittedly, it doesn’t include the magic post codes for Santa Claus or National Girobank, but they still work without spaces anyway.)

]]> By: Tony http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/#comment-234 Tony Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:48:15 +0000 http://blog.frankwales.com/?p=354#comment-234 @Frank you are wrong about UK postcodes the space is specified in the the relevent British Standard and in the UK Government's adress data schema. You are right however that virtually every postcode is parsable into outcode and incode without one and it is a good exercise in UX design to not require it. @Frank you are wrong about UK postcodes the space is specified in the the relevent British Standard and in the UK Government’s adress data schema. You are right however that virtually every postcode is parsable into outcode and incode without one and it is a good exercise in UX design to not require it.

]]> By: Frank http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/#comment-233 Frank Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:16:57 +0000 http://blog.frankwales.com/?p=354#comment-233 Following on from some fair comments in http://www.metafilter.com/83278/On-The-Importance-of-Overdraft-Protection , I've added a clarification about 1250 having to being in BCD if it's to represent $12.50. BCD (binary-coded decimal) is commonly used in financial systems, where precision is more important than space-efficiency. It's also used internally in old HP calculators for the same reason, and consequently, I'm so used to seeing it that I didn't think to explain it. (Although, if the number is in BCD in the first place, how it would become space-padded is even more interesting.) Following on from some fair comments in http://www.metafilter.com/83278/On-The-Importance-of-Overdraft-Protection , I’ve added a clarification about 1250 having to being in BCD if it’s to represent $12.50.

BCD (binary-coded decimal) is commonly used in financial systems, where precision is more important than space-efficiency. It’s also used internally in old HP calculators for the same reason, and consequently, I’m so used to seeing it that I didn’t think to explain it.

(Although, if the number is in BCD in the first place, how it would become space-padded is even more interesting.)

]]> By: Frank http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/#comment-232 Frank Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:11:07 +0000 http://blog.frankwales.com/?p=354#comment-232 Of course, a complementary frustration is when a web site's programmer requires users to enter the space in a UK post code, which is not part of the data either, and not required. Of course, a complementary frustration is when a web site’s programmer requires users to enter the space in a UK post code, which is not part of the data either, and not required.

]]> By: L. http://blog.frankwales.com/2009/07/15/give-me-space/#comment-231 L. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:33:48 +0000 http://blog.frankwales.com/?p=354#comment-231 Oh god, that drives me mad too. You also see it with bank sort codes where they won't let you put in the - character that is actually part of most sort codes. Oh god, that drives me mad too. You also see it with bank sort codes where they won’t let you put in the – character that is actually part of most sort codes.

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