[WikiEN-l] So what was the outcome of the spoilerwar?

[David Gerard]

On 31/05/07, Guy Chapman aka JzG <guy.chapman at spamcop.net> wrote:

> As it stands, there seems to be broad support for the idea that
> spoiler tags are redundant in plot / synopsis sections, absurd in
> articles on older and especially classic works, a substitute for
> {{original research}} in articles on future or forthcoming films, and
> possibly defensible in a small number of cases for new releases where
> knowing the plot twist is identified by external sources as a spoiler
> for the subject.


The "recent releases" question is a tricky one - what counts as a
"recent release"? - but, for example, Tony Sidaway removed spoiler
tags from all episodes of [[Doctor Who]] before 2005. No complaint.

A lot of the problem with spoiler-tagged plot summaries is that
they're badly-written plot summaries. A simple blow-by-blow recitation
of events will do the job, but it is often not as clear as a more
thoughtful synopsis which mentions important allusions to past and
future episodes, real world happenings and so forth.

So the real cure for spoiler tags is better writing.

Lots, lots more at [[Wikipedia talk:Spoiler]].


- d.