In the preferences (Navigation tab) there’s an option that says:
“Binder selection affects other editor when focussed editor is locked”
Note that “focussed” is a typo.
That’s a valid spelling for the word, if that is what you mean.
There you go:
British spelling: focused, focusing or focussed, focussing
Canadian spelling: focused, focusing or focussed, focussing
US American spelling: focused, focusing
best
Yep, we Brits are inconsistent in how many “s”'s go in the past tense of “focus”, although “focussed” is generally the preferred spelling here; I had no idea that one “s” is preferred US English. However, both are valid in both English and US English, and although I try to use US English across the interface for consistency (despite being English myself), “focused” has always looked weird to me so I think I’ll leave it as-is.
All the best,
Keith
Whoops! I didn’t realize that was a British variation. Please pardon my ignorance.
The Oxford English Dictionary states:
“focus, v. … Pples. focused, -ing; in the U.K. commonly, but irregularly, written focussed, -ing.”
So it seems you have an “irregular” variant there. I would never have written it with a double “s” myself, and I find that is the version that looks weird to my (English) eye – probably because I’m older than Keith. When I moved back to the UK in 1992 after having spent just over ten years teaching English in Italy, I found that English had shifted noticeably. People who were ten years younger than me spoke a subtly different English. It’s still changing, so I get more and more out of date. And I’m proud of it. (God, I’m getting old …)
Cheers, Martin.
Argh, I’ll just change it, because I don’t care either way, and I break out in a severe rash when people start getting het up about words such as “whilst”, or debating which is the preferred form of acceptable variant spellings (not that you are doing that Martin, but just in case!). 
Well, think superior British thoughts to yourself whilst changing it.
Now, now, Jennifer!
Keith – I think you should put what you feel happiest with. It’s your creation, after all. For my part, no, I certainly couldn’t get het up about focussed/focused – or whilst, come to that. But I must confess that there are some usages that do make me come out in a rash (“different than”, for example – damn, I shouldn’t have written that – I’ve started itching). I guess different people have their own pet hates. However, since I have a copy of the full OED on my hard disc (it’s wonderful!) I can’t resist checking some of these things, when I come across them, mostly for my own enlightenment. But then I can’t resist letting other people know how enlightened I am. Blame over ten years of having to correct people’s English in order to earn your money. Or blame my mother – she was very particular about certain things, and I still feel the influence. I think she would definitely have hit me if I had dared to say “off of” and she would only allow “different from”, not even “different to”.
Cheers … Oh damn … sorry mother … yours sincerely,
Martin.
“Centred around” always gets me. As does “such and such happened due to…” And many more, come to think of it…
“The reason is because…” Argh.
Personally I think one should try to avoid words whose spelling, rather than their meaning, is likely to occupy the minds of readers. One doesn’t want readers to spend the instant that their eyes hit a word concentrating (aha!) on whether it should contain, say, a single ‘s’ or a double one. Trouble is, ‘focussed’ is quite a useful word. Interesting that the subs on the BBC website today, in Stephanie Flanders’ blog, put it through with a double ‘s’.
That’s all very well in theory, but regional variations - especially between the US and the UK - mean that this isn’t always possible. And those readers whose minds are prone to bluster over which spelling is preferred - as opposed to misspellings - have only themselves to blame. I’ve already been harangued into removing occurrences of the perfectly serviceable “whilst” from the site - surely these people have better things to do?
(I hasten to add that none of this is directed at anybody in this thread!)
Well…
"People who were ten years younger than me spoke a subtly different English. "
should really be
“People who were ten years younger than I am spoke a subtly different English.”
… but let’s not worry about that… let’s speak whatever kind of English feels right.
best
Aaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
From the OED:
“1792 Wakefield Mem. (1804) I. 108 He was much older than me.”
And a couple more from the same source:
“c 1825 Beddoes Second Brother i. i, You are old, And many years nearer than him to death. 1861 E. O’Curry Lect. MS. Materials 253 He is better than me, then, said the monarch.”
Sorry Keith – I really shouldn’t have poked my nose in!
Why bother with all the extra words? “People ten years younger than I spoke a subtly different English.”
Better:
“People younger than me spoke English differently.”
Best:
“Youngsters spoke oddly.”
I’m staying out of this, as I don’t need any distractions and have to stay focussed on my work!
Mark
“Youngsters!”