Do you have to have <p>

You *should* have paragraph tags yes. It helps to keep text where it belongs and makes a page organized and neat.

You can specify space thought by using line height for the p tags in your css like so:

p {
font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 11px;
line-height: 16px;
color: black;
}

You can also specify the space you are seeing above and below the paragraph with it's margins

p { margin: 0.5em; }

is paragraph, is line break (new line)

one is equals to two 's

I personally always just use 's, never liked using for some reason

Paragraphs are proper structure for paragraphs of text. It's like any other HTML element - use it properly! Using 's to make paragraphs is like using or to make headings, or as is oft discussed, using tables to make layouts. Works, but is incorrect. If you've got a bit of text that is not quite a paragraph I don't think it's so clear. If it's not a paragraph, what is it? Is it a heading? Is it a list? Use the tags that most accurately descirbe the element. Like Roo & Renegade said, you can then use CSS to fix the spacing.

BAH!

I've been using two tags to do the job. Meh..

I'm not changing it now.

Ummm.... is XHTML where is HTML 4X....A isn't going to make two line breaks. As said above, you're better off using paragraph tags anyway.

I'm getting into the habit now of using pr instead of br. Makes for a much better formatted page IMHO...

pr???

I sometimes use , for some unique purpose... but most of the time, I wrap a paragraph in divs... (better to get accustomed to using )... Well its your choice anyways...

is one of those things that in the long run is the better way to do things. Combined with CSS, of course. isn't terrible, but if it is a paragraph, you're better off training yourself to use . It's more flexible when combined with CSS.

It can obviously be a pain to change your habits like that. I speak from experience, having only recently switched over to more properly coded HTML with CSS.

I usually create a class just for the first paragraph in a document that has the top margin set to -5px, that way I can use ... and not get the extra space above the first paragraph.

a tag will give you much more flexability ongoing, the others are correct in saying you should try to use it, also you can use settings within the p tag when needed later.

I personally like them as it opens and closes as per XML and creates nice nesting. great for adding classes into as well. Moreover, you it will find it easier to use ongoing rather than 2 br's.