[WikiEN-l] {{spoiler}} vs. writing a goddamn encyclopedia

[Todd Allen]

Blu Aardvark wrote:
> I never thought I'd found myself saying this, but largely, I agree with 
> you. When you go to look something up in an encyclopedia, some degree of 
> spoilers should be expected.
>
> On the other hand, if it is entirely possible to write a good article 
> while minimizing spoilers, than by all means, that should be done. I'd 
> submit [[Alundra]] as an example of an article on a video game that 
> doesn't explain the plot of the game in great detail, and yet still is 
> able to cover it in a rather decent manner. (Of course, the article has 
> some other issues, mainly amateurish writing, but that's not entirely 
> the point here.)
>
> In a sense, avoidance of plot spoilers should be a guideline - it 
> usually makes for better articles - but it shouldn't be a hard-and-fast 
> rule, because there are occasions when spoilers are unavoidable. 
> Particularly when you are talking about "minor character[s] in [a] 
> television show" (ie, cruft).
>
> Philip Sandifer wrote:
>   
>> Although this issue has been done to death (though I tend to think  
>> the debate has mostly been a matter of people from outside the  
>> relevant fandoms saying "Erm, these are totally unencyclopedic" and  
>> then the fandoms shouting a lot and getting their way), I'd like to  
>> note that the focus on spoiler warnings and on not revealing spoilers  
>> in an article is, in a fundamental sense, totally contrary to the  
>> process of writing an encyclopedia.
>>
>> [...]
>>     
>
>
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>   
And there's the solution. Why should we have an article on some minor
character from a fictional work at all? Touch on them briefly in the
main article or a "List of characters in...".

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