5.1.6 Input Conventions

Since gtroff does filling automatically, it is traditional in groff not to try and type things in as nicely formatted paragraphs. These are some conventions commonly used when typing gtroff text:

• Break lines after punctuation, particularly at the end of a sentence and in other logical places. Keep separate phrases on lines by themselves, as entire phrases are often added or deleted when editing.
• Try to keep lines less than 40-60 characters, to allow space for inserting more text.
• Do not try to do any formatting in a WYSIWYG manner (i.e., don’t try using spaces to get proper indentation).