How long should the protected spoilers period last?

This poll is exactly what it looks like. How should we deal with spoilers in Literature?

As a side topic of discussion, how should we deal with those who spoil others?

 

2 months. It's not that hard to write "SPOILERS" and press enter a few times, and it's worth it if it means that someone who hasn't had a chance to read the book yet isn't spoiled.

 

Someone who spoils (ala in the sig, etc.) should be temp banned for a couple months...or publicly shamed, tarred and feathered, and drawn and quartered by all lit forum members

 

I definitely like the current one month spoiler period -- not too long and not too short. As Goldilocks would say -- just right.

On the other hand, what definitely needs to be discussed is the situation that's going on now with people having the book and being asked by Mods not to spoil anyways, even in threads clearly marked as such. I don't mind acceding to the Mods wishes (I don't like heavy spoiling anyways), but the "public" needs to be informed as to what's going on and why, and the policy needs to be clearly spelled out.

As for people who spoil... I dunno. Varying punishments, I s'pose. People who have quotes in their sigs are just idiots who likely didn't read the GIANT STICKY THREAD at the top of the forum and should be gently reminded, and then hit with a one-day spank should they fail to comply. People who INTENTIONALLY spoil others (in unmarked threads) should be hit with a week ban if it's known for sure that it was malicious or intentional. Unintentional spoilers... I dunno. Case-by-case basis, most likely.

Take the "For Anakin Solo Fans Only" thread. It's spoilage is only supposed to go through DJ (I think) but the "regulars" have sort of adapted to allowing spoiler space in individual posts to allow spoilers for currently released books. Now some people then take those spoilers and say them WITHOUT space, and I (and one or two others) police ourself and inform them that what they have done is a no-no, and that usually ends the issue. So it's not malicious, and unintentional... so I wouldn't think a punishment is warranted for those people in that situation.

Thoughts?

 

I have to agree with Mastadge said. I think two months is plenty of time to let more people get the books. Including people that aren't in a America and take longer to get it. It shouldn't be that hard to remember to put spoiler warnings in.

 

2 weeks before, 1 month after the US release date.

 

Two months is good. By then, most of the people who actually care whether they see spoilers or not will have read the book several times anyway.

 

two months sounds good - there are people in other countries that won't be able to get the book and wouldn't want to stumble on a surprise like "they named him Ben" or something.....if you get my example.

 

2 months

 

1 month...

 

I think the current one month policy works well, but then again I am a person who lives in the US and picks up the book on the very day it is released. Still, I do think that two months is a bit long.

I guess the best thing to do is to see when most of the Lit, forum people obtain the books, and go from there. If the majority of people get the books soon after they are released, then we should stick with the one month policy. If not, then go with the two months. As I see it, it's a majority rule issue. Sure it's not fair to people who are spoiled, but there is no use making the majority wait so a few people don't get spoiled. If people don't want to be spoiled, they can avoid the Lit. board. I know this has been done in the past, and it can be done again.

That's my opinion, anyway.

 

Protected spoilers just means to post the spoiler warning, right? Not that people can't post spoilers at all.

 

I say that a month should be sufficent. That gives people plenty of time to buy or check the book out from the library. The biggest thing I have is spoilers prior to the books release. Even using code names such as "Jimmy" fail. I find it much easier to avoid the Lit forum until I have finished the book.

 

Yep, my biggest beef is being spoiled before the book even comes out.

 

One month.

I find the current spoiler period reasonable.

 

I think 2 months is better. It gives more time for non-USers to get the book and read it without being unwantingly spoiled.

 

One month.

It's not like forumers are as sneaky as possible when they post spoilers anyway. It's not hard to remain "unspoiled" even after the month is through.

 

It's a little hard for my to say, since I'm not reading NJO books yet.

But stuff like, say, the X-wing books. Just the other day, somebody posted a thread about them. They specifically said "no spoilers" in the title, yet they still slipped out in the thread. People who break spoiler rules in such a situation should be spanked.

I think the 1 month rule is petty fair. But, even right now, there are some DW threads floating around with rather risqué (sp?) titles. The rules should be much more strict on such threads.

As for the idea of always posting spoiler warnings (which has a suprising percentage of votes); I don't think that's very fair. Even though there's a lot of stuff I haven't read, I don't expect people to give spoiler warnings just for my sake. People like myself should be prepared to be unwillingly spoiled on occasion (which I am).

 

Yeah. The title of the Vergere thread really makes me a teensy bit cross

I'll live

~monogpfm

 

I think that the "Lah la la" thread was the best title for a thread contianing spoilers. There should not be any spoilers (even sort of remote ones) in the title.

 

I'm fine with the "1 month" limit.

 

I think that a couple of weeks should cover the spoiler issue. I think if you wait longer than that it isn't fair to the poster who has to mark up spoliers and to the moderators who have to do so when the author doesnt post the warning.

Axl.

 

I think one month is probably still fine - at least for novels. Anyone keeping up and reading books as they come out will probably have bought a book and read it within a month. If they are waiting for a PB version of a newly released HC, then it'll be a year before they will get it, and that's a little unreasonable.

I don't think spoiler guidelines are enforced as strongly for comics and short stories as they are for the novels though. Just an observation.

It's a complicated situation for the comics since many members wait for the TPBs rather than buying the individual issues.