Blade

Two notes:

THREAD TITLES:
Do not put spoilers in thread titles. Within the thread, is fine, just make sure you include a spoiler warning in your thread title.

Doing this enough times can earn you a formal warning and continuing this behavior is considered grounds for suspension. (Please understand that this part is intended for people who are purposely trying to spoil shows for others.)

Also, spoiler tags do NOT work within thread titles.

SPOILERS IN THREADS:
If the thread title has spoilers, using the spoiler tags is up to you.

But if not, then please don't spoil the endings or major plot twists of shows or the results of sports events for other members. When in doubt, use spoiler tags.

A note on "XYZ-Show Date" threads. It's common practice in this forum that thread titles that consist of the show title and it's air date WILL contain spoilers, regardless of a warning in the thread title. Enter at you're own risk! (Thanks to hahn for "starting" this tradition)

PROMO SPOILERS:
If you're going to discuss official information about an upcoming episode (ie. stuff shown in the "next week on..." segment, or print/broadcast advertisement/teasers) please make sure that you either use spoiler tags or start a thread with some kind of warning in the thread title

Or, as BizRodian suggested elsewhere, you could start a thread about "next weeks show (spoilers)" and discuss the teaser in there. But the threads discussing the current show need to spoiler the teaser information.

It's fine to discuss this stuff, but let's give everyone the choice to decide whether they want to see it or not.

A Spoiler Tag Primer:

What are spoiler tags

Spoiler tags are like other vB code tags and are enclosed in brackets. Text enclosed within spoiler tags is presented in a black box that cannot be read by other members unless they intentionally try and do so.

How to use spoiler tags

Simply surround the text you wish to "blacken" with the word "spoiler" contained in brackets. For example:

[spoi1er]This text will be hidden[/spoi1er]

Notice the "/" in the closing tag. vB code, like html, requires a / in the closing tag. If we replace the "1" with an "l" the tags will work and we are left with:



Voila!

How to read spoiler tags

To read what is enclosed in spoiler tags, move your mouse pointer to the upper left hand corner of the black box, depress your left mouse button and, with the button still depressed, drag your mouse pointer across the box. This will reveal the hidden text.

A quicker way to read spoiler tag text is to triple click the text you want to read.

Try it now:



(Most of the above was created by Moderator JustinS for the Movie Talk forum, with an additional tips from other helpful members.)

Wizdar

Consider adding a link to this thread on the subject. And maybe even this one just for kicks.


I didn't know about the triple clicking thingie. Thanks!!

GoldenJCJ

Me neither, that's pretty cool.

Now I have to figure out what to do with all this extra time that I would be wasting trying to reveal spoilers by slowly sweeping the text.

Blade

Well by posting in this thread, you've already added them, but you're right about how show/air date threads are handled so I modified my orginal post.

Which makes a good point. This is your forum...if you folks would like spoilers handled differently than I've posted above, just say so and I'll make corrections/additions as necessary.

Thanks for the heads up.

das Monkey

Thanks, Blade

I know (as it's been pointed out to me many times) that it seems anal not to want to know what's going to happen on the shows we watch, but anal or not, it's something a lot of us don't want to know.

I completely agree that if you enter a dated thread, you're entering at your own risk. Just so long as there's fair warning. Like no show content in the subjects (especially if the episode hasn't even aired yet), and SPOILER tags for any unsuspected spoilers.

Anyway, thanks for the sticky thread. I know no one around her intentionally spoils shows, so maybe it will help to have the little reminder at the top of the forum.

das

Blade

You know, I've never understood not understanding this. Yes, it's not a big deal. Yes, it's only a TV show. But a lot of the fun in anything is being able to watch it unfold for the first time. It's simple common courtesy.

This used to be something of a problem in Other before the TV forum was made (still can be for sports actually), so yes, I'm very sympathetic.

-David

Wizdar

So, I didn't fool you for a second, did I?

I’m one of those guys who didn’t much care about the spoiler issue, and found it humorous the way some folks would get excited about it. (Not to imply a lack of respect for their views/wishes on my part.) But lately I’m becoming more disappointed with the obvious spoilers in TV series previews. I think I even started a thread on the issue a while back.

While I’ve resigned myself to the inevitability of spoilers, I don’t for a moment think those sensitive to the issue are “anal.” Maybe a little naive as in the still believing in Santa Clause sense. And to be honest, I would swap my cynical nature for that naiveté in a heartbeat if I could.

I can understand, however, the anger behind this unfortunate situation. This should be a safe haven from that stuff, one would think. It’s like, everybody knows you’re not supposed to fart on an elevator, right?

das Monkey

Originally posted by Wizdar
Maybe a little naive as in the still believing in Santa Clause sense. And to be honest, I would swap my cynical nature for that naiveté in a heartbeat if I could.

What you call naive, I call stubborn. I know the spoilers are out there and difficult to avoid, but I'm not willing to give up the fight just yet ...

It’s like, everybody knows you’re not supposed to fart on an elevator, right?

Sorry ... that was me ...

das

Wizdar

OK. You're anal and proud of it. BE that way. I stand corrected. Harrumph!

[das can't read] What was it that Willow said about Sam? [/das can't read]

WarriorPrincess

Thanks for this thread! Count me in as one who REALLY doesn't want to know storylines ahead of time. I don't watch previews or ads (unless I'm trying to decide whether or not to see a show for the first time) for tv shows OR movies. They give WAY too much away. Plus I don't like hype. Thanks again.

WarriorPrincess

Well, after seeing this thread I had high hopes of people getting the point. They don't. In the 2/26 Buffy thread next week's storyline is discussed with no spoiler tags. Thus, it's now spoiled for me. I'm done with all of it - apparently there are those who have no desire to be considerate. I enjoyed it here when things were considerate.

To those who seem to not know better:

1. There are people who do not read TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, or any other spoiler-ridden magazine.

2. There are those who do not read the synopsis on TIVO, Dish, DirectTV, etc.

3. There are those who do not watch any ad, promo, or "next week on (insert show here)"

4. Assuming that "everyone" knows "x" about whatever show is just going to pi$$ people off, because EVERYONE DOESN'T know - YOU happen to. It's just egocentric to assume otherwise.

Of course, I won't benefit if any of you take my advice and exercise discretion, as I'm done, but hopefully the next poor soul who comes in trusting that a thread is safe to read after they've seen the episode in question doesn't have a rude awakening like I did. This has all disappointed me greatly.

das Monkey

I hear ya, Princess. The only thing worse than having a show spoiled is when the forum members mock you for the perfectly reasonable request of not doing it. I too didn't know the info that you're upset about until I read that thread, but I figure if no one cares about respecting each other around here, there was no sense starting up another argument over it. They'll just mock me anyway.

das

Wizdar

YWdS. (Yah, what das said. )

WarriorPrincess, you're one of those voices I look forward to in this forum. I’m feeling a little bit of about my participation after the cat was let out of the bag. One could say the whole thread was doomed from the beginning.

das, I didn’t see any “mocking” going on. I saw a lot of whining and justifying.

If the problem isn’t addressed, will it just go away of its own accord? Hopefully this thread will make a difference.

Draven

All right, I'll fess up and say that I was one of the people who didn't understand the problem in the 2/26 Buffy thread.

Here's why, and it's very simple. The promos that play for next week's show play while the current show is airing. So, anything that happens in that airing (Thread title - Buffy 2/26) should be fair game.

You want to make exceptions, FINE. I don't read the wildfeeds, I don't read speculation spoilers. I just tune in and watch the show. I'm willing not to discuss the promos for next week, I'd rather just post my thoughts on the episode and leave it at that. Just make sure everyone knows that only the actual episodes can be discussed, and if a promo airs for the next week, even though it happened during Buffy 2/26, that it is off limits.

The last thing I'm going to say is that I've managed to stay "spoiler free" throughout Buffy's run, and I've never felt the promos spoil the episodes. Most of the time, they are extremely misleading. But if that's what people want, then fine. Who am I to say that my viewpoint is the correct one? But in defense of those that "spoiled" next weeks episode...the thread title was Buffy 2/26, and nothing was discussed that wasn't shown during that 1 hour timeslot.

das Monkey

I'll agree that the promo issue is a touchy one. I don't think people would be getting so frustrated over the promo spoilers if there weren't such disregard for the other spoilers. It snowballs.

Buffy's on the border. But then you take a show like 24 where the promos completely give away major plot points, and the issue becomes more clear. Someone will be captured in one episode, and the promo for the next episode shows them doing something after they have escaped. That pretty much kills the drama.

Since the promos aren't created by the show but by the network, they don't consider the ramifications. And as you said, sometimes they're highly misleading. UPN is the worst for giving the most completely misleading promos ever. But remember the Enterprise episode where the entire resolution of the plot was given away in the TV Guide description. Sure, it's not every week for every show, but it happens, and consequently, many people just avoid them.

But more importantly than ALL of that, the big factor is that some members around here like WP don't want to know that information. And I believe it's our duty as forum members to respect that wish. It's not an unreasonable request, and it's not difficult to warn before discussing something that's going to happen next week, so we should take care to respect that.

To be completely honest, I don't particularly care that much about the promo spoilers. I watch them for most shows, and it's very difficult to avoid them during the week. While I'd like to not know that information, sometimes it's so hard to avoid that I just roll with it. But I know WP and some former forum members do care. And it's important to me that their voice is heard and their wish is respected. Because their opinion is valuable, whether I agree with it or not, and the forum will become a lonely place without them.

das

Draven

I appreciate the response, and I too am fine with not discussing the promos for the next week. I saw them, I don't need to tell others who didn't. That's fine.

But, you do run the risk of losing other forum members, people who think that a promo is a promo. I mean, I read the jackets of books before I buy them. I have to know if it's worth reading.

I agree about 24 but I haven't felt that spoiled by that either.

But there are other people who don't share that opinion, and I feel that THEIR opinion is just as valid.

As I said, I'm fine not discussing next week's show. I'll just wait till next week. But other people may leave when faced with that kind of restriction, and that shouldnt' be ignored...

das Monkey

But it's not a two-way street. You can choose to read a SPOILER. You can't choose to not read a non-SPOILER.

It's pretty easy to just say ...

das

Wizdar

YWdS
Speaking for myself, I can understand how it appears that I'm discounting this viewpoint. I'm really not, or at least it's not my intention.

Should we then say that since some don't care at all about the spoiler issue, the rest of us should abandon the concept altogether? To misquote somebody around here, "You can't unread a spoiler."

Draven

It's just nit-picky stuff, I know. And as I've said, I don't think it's necessary to discuss the promos for next weeks show. Or at least start a different thread.

I just keep coming back to this: If the thread title is Buffy 2/26, I take that to mean we are going to discuss what happen from 7 - 8 pm central time on UPN.

I think the solution is to spoiler tag things for next week. But that needs to be clearly stated by whomever starts the thread, or it needs to be something that members "agree" to follow when they join the forum. To assume that promos for the next week are off limits is to make the forum "safe" from those who turn off the TV the second the show is done, which, without conducting a poll, I'm pretty sure is NOT the majority.

In fact, I'm sure the majority stays spoiler-free, but watches the promos. Am I saying that there is anything wrong with not watching promos? Absolutely not. But I think people make an honest mistake in thinking that it's okay to talk about what they saw Tuesday night.

Wizdar

I'm going to assume this is an honest question. The fact that promos for future episodes run during the show in question has no bearing. The info pertains to a future show and a thread about that show will be started at the appropriate time. If you would like to start a thread about a future episode and start talking about things the teasers have shown, feel free to do so.

I'm assuming that the discussion about the show in question will be as such and I won't be finding, for instance, sports scores which could also be broadcast during that time period.

Blade

I edited the thread title and added a request to use spoiler tags on promo info.

Let's give this a try. It's not really that hard to give a warning or use spoiler tags around officially released info about what's going to happen on the next show. Even just saying "Did you see the promo for next week's show?" and then hitting return a few times before continuing on would be something.

Of course, this doesn't apply to personal speculation/guesses.

Also, we're working on getting a full time mod for you folks, so hopefully there will be someone around who's more in tune with these shows (I only watch 2 programs on a regular basis) and can check on the threads on a more regular basis.

I know this is a touchy long standing subject, but let's all try to have a little more patience and not be too harsh in our replies to each other.

das Monkey

Tell Geoff I'll be glad to do it.

das

P.S. That's sarcasm of the highest degree. Hopefully he can see the humor.

Blade

I can.

Wizdar

I'm looking for the smilie for nervous laughter...

das Monkey

If you only knew ...

das