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DracMonster Since: Jan, 2001
2017-11-04 16:26:23

Using "Spoiler Character" as the folder name for a Walking Spoiler is the proper way, I believe.

Karxrida Since: May, 2012
2017-11-04 16:35:22

I'm pretty sure that's specifically discouraged as part of the "don't conceal the name" part. Too little info is given to let you know why you need to steer clear from the folder.

Edited by Karxrida
Candi Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-05 00:15:39

It's specifically discouraged under you're not supposed to have to spoil yourself to find out if you want to view the spoiler. Same as whiting out an entry.

If people are ignoring policy through ignorance, fix and PM the troper. If they think they shouldn't have to follow policy, fix, PM, and report. If they edit war, report.

Adding a Spoilers coming up warning to a page is fine and often recommended. The vague description isn't; there's guidelines on that.

Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. -Terry Pratchett
SeptimusHeap MOD (Edited uphill both ways)
2017-11-05 02:44:44

"Spoiler folders" have always been contentious. I don't recall specifically whether they are discouraged or not.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-05 06:45:42

"Is my approach right?"

No it isn't right. You should just make the page and not use any tags or spoiler warnings at all.

"I hate putting in spoiler warnings where people should already expect to be spoiled"

You should trust your instinct here.

Edited by jamespolk
CrypticMirror Since: Jan, 2001
2017-11-05 07:52:50

I feel that we need a complete revamp of spoiler policy rules, and probably need some more hard and explicit rules on them. It seems like every other week there is an issue with spoiler policy now, and we go back and forth on what should and should not be done (personally I don't think we need spoiler mark up at all, it is extraneous to the mission of documenting tropes) and everything just gets confused.

I would like to ask the mods to please consider having a discussion regarding that.

Edited by CrypticMirror
SeptimusHeap MOD (Edited uphill both ways)
2017-11-05 08:24:47

You can absolutely start a discussion on the topic, but be aware that more rules does not automatically equal more clarity.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-05 09:08:32

^^Use as few spoiler tags as possible. Ideally, everything that was more than, oh, five years old would have no spoiler tags.

Candi Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-05 21:50:17

Septimus, there have been past discussions -Granted, some time ago- on whether Spoiler Character should be used as a folder name. The general consensus was that under most circumstances that arise on the wiki, it's a bad idea, under the previously stated spoiling yourself to see if you want to see the spoiler. Labeling the folder with the character's position-"assassin", "thief", "traitor"- was a recently-suggested compromise.

I believe Cryptic Mirror is suggesting a complete pulling out and cleaning out of the spoiler rules chest, putting back neatly what still works, tossing what doesn't, and then seeing what, if anything, needs to be added.

Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. -Terry Pratchett
Fighteer MOD (Time Abyss)
2017-11-06 04:09:35

We aren't going to overhaul the spoiler rules yet again. It's pointless. The rules exist because our wiki is, first and foremost, about conveying information. Anything that obscures that gets tossed. If that means that spoilers are inevitable in some types of articles, then that's something people have to live with.

I make it a point never to go to work articles for works that I'm interested in. Why? Because I know that despite my best efforts, I'll probably see spoilers. I recommend this mentality to everyone.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Candi Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-06 06:38:01

Eh, I don't care personally. :p I only ran into one spoiler that I ever cared about, and well, what was I thinking, reading the Wikipedia article before completing the game!?! It's on me.

Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. -Terry Pratchett
jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-07 11:44:29

^^Deactivate spoiler tags, then.

Fighteer MOD (Time Abyss)
2017-11-07 12:20:53

It's still possible to use spoilers tastefully and appropriately. The problem is when people overuse them to the point where they render the articles non-functional. We elevate our awareness by living forever on the edge.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-07 13:04:39

^I think you are totally correct in your post above regarding the destructiveness of spoiler tags and how they are against the mission of the wiki. You are absolutely right. And since you are right, there's a logical action to take.

Kayube (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2017-11-07 13:24:31

At the very least any pages that are not specific to particular works should have spoiler tags, otherwise people might be spoiled for something that they had no reason to expect to be spoiled for. (Barring spoilerific tropes where the presence of the work's name on the page spoils it in itself). Getting rid of all spoiler tags across the board would essentially be saying "if you don't want to be spoiled for anything and everything, we don't want you on this website".

jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
2017-11-07 13:34:34

^The purpose of the wiki is to document tropes, not to hide them. No one has a right to ask the rest of the world not to talk about things that have been public for years.

Fighteer MOD (Time Abyss)
2017-11-07 13:53:24

You're strawmanning our position, jamespolk, and we'd appreciate it as staff if you would cut that out.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
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