Comment 13 for bug 282075

Some other soft have the same problem (e.g https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/rhythmbox/+bug/221112 or http://forums.codeblocks.org/index.php/topic,8291.new.html) so it seems to not be a bug in spe or scite but in gnome or the french xorg keybord layout.

There is several solutions in the forums (by example http://forum.ubuntu-fr.org/viewtopic.php?id=211583 - in french sorry). I tried the solution to set the space configuration in the gnome keyboard preferences to "space key outputs usual space at any level" and it works well (if that helps with the french interface, you should click on Système->Préférences->Clavier->Agencement->Option de l'agencement->Utiliser la barre d'espacement[...]->la barre d'espacement renvoie[..]).

I don't know the possible drawbacks of the method.