Re: OT: Possible change to Spoiler rules? (Was "OT: 'I don't see why' ")

["BP" <podujeva@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've read through your message, Dan, and frankly I don't think it
needs to be all that complicated. Even as one of the determinedly
unspoiled, I have no wish to see spoiler discussion quashed for those
who enjoy it. I guess you can call this proposition 6, although I've
always considered it horse sense.

SPOILER applies both to episodes within one week of the original air
date and unaired episodes. This is a statement of what is generally
accepted fact in most fandoms I participate in; the week is sometimes
shortened to "after airing, west coast USA", but I don't see where a
week is asking too much. It's not like we're saying, wait til the
Aussies get it (they're at least a season behind the US, right? It
might be another series that is so delayed there ... if so, fill in
some locale with substantial delay for Buffy. I know there are some.)

As subject lines are sometimes cut off after a certain number of
characters, it's easiest to be sure that all concerned will see a
vague description of spoiler material if it appears just before the
spoiler space. Why not simply type a sentence similar to one of the
following?

1) Spoilers for episode "Seeing Red" (or new ep the week of 5/7 if
unsure of title)

2) Spoilers for unaired episode(s) (add title/scheduled airdate if
known)

3) Spoilers for most recent episode and rumor-based speculation on
future eps

4) ...

You get the idea. The word "spoiler" somewhere in the subject line and
one sentence that appears before the spoiler space and that can easily
be adjusted when necessary due to thread drift (or dropped after a
week has passed since airing). Not complicated, not all that much
effort, and it differentiates between spoilers for recently aired
episodes and unaired episodes.

I guess I have a proposition 7, too. Redefine this list to be a
spoiler-friendly list, not requiring space or notice. Of course, that
would have me and probably a few other spoiler-free types unsubbing
post haste. A few might be actual frequent posters to the list and be
missed. :)

I used to do the spoiler thing. I knew (by choice) everything that was
going to happen in "The Gift" weeks before it aired (some bits long
before that). I discovered that I didn't enjoy the show when I knew
essentially everything that would happen but some of the dialogue and
how it would be delivered. I was bored. I went cold turkey on the
spoilers during the summer hiatus and haven't regretted it for a
moment.

I'm not saying that's the right choice for anyone else, just that it's
a legitimate choice and one that should be respected by those who
enjoy spoiler discussion but *choose* to belong to a list that caters
to both spoilery types and nonspoilery types. Just as it's my own
darned fault if I join a list that let's spoilers run wild and manage
to spoil myself. If I bothered to read the welcome note/rules, I knew
that was the way the list operated when I joined.

This list is one that allows spoilers *IF* properly labeled. Until the
rules change, that's the way it is. If there are people who don't like
labeling their spoiler posts, I can suggest some lists to them where
the rules don't require labeled spoilers. Heck, I just unsubbed from
them last summer, surely some of them are still there! lol

Hehehe, you did ask for discussion, right Dan? ;)

Relurking,
BP