# Shouldn't spoiler boxes be restricted to "spoilers"? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 25, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265 "2011-07-25T13:57:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/41 "2011-07-25T18:10:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But it’s only a joke-why the need to hide the punchline at all? When you tell jokes to a group of your friends, do you leave off the punchline and hand them a folded piece of paper with the punchline written inside, so they won’t have to know it if they don’t want to? No-what you do is pause slightly then tell the punchline to one and all. So do you want to start passing out warnings for the heinous offense of abusing a spoiler box? Because if you’re not willing to do that, then there’s no real issue in dispute here. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/42 "2011-07-25T18:11:41Z")
As a poster, I think the versatility of the spoiler box – from punchlines of jokes to an easy way to meet the two-click rule – is actually one of their strengths. As a Cafe Society mod, I vote against any more rules around here. That said, I definitely agree with this: > [@Anaamika](#): > > But what I’d like in TV shows/movies/books, when possible, to have some idea of what kind of spoiler it is. Like, if I’ve seen all of Season 1 & 2 and it is a Season 2 spoiler, let me know. Same as if it’s a Season 4 spoiler. That way I know if it’s safe to click on it. And not just what season, but in a thread that has a variety of subpoints to it, it’s helpful to give some idea what you’re responding to/asking about. For instance: In the movie version, when Jim-Bob and Bobby-Sue go to Memphis, why do they go by way of Tuscon? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/43 "2011-07-25T18:12:48Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > So do you want to start passing out warnings for the heinous offense of abusing a spoiler box? Because if you’re not willing to do that, then there’s no real issue in dispute here. I’m sorry-were you under the impression that I was posting as a moderator? I’m just asking questions and stating my personal preferences. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/44 "2011-07-25T18:12:57Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > That’s problematic. Why? Invisible text has no indication of its presence. Highlight for answer: Why do you want to hide the ball? Offer some explicit guidance to the reader. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/45 "2011-07-25T18:13:10Z")
I totally agree with you, twicks, but for some reason I got a fit of giggles over your pretend names. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/46 "2011-07-25T18:14:51Z")
I do not like invisible text. I generally am not annoyed by spoilers, even when the context of spoiler boxes is inane rather than a spoiler as I generally understand them. I do think being specific about what’s in your spoiler box is a good idea, but I can’t see making it a rule for mods to enforce. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/47 "2011-07-25T18:17:34Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I totally agree with you, twicks, but for some reason I got a fit of giggles over your pretend names. My work here is done. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/48 "2011-07-25T18:17:56Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Highlight for answer: Why do you want to hide the ball? Offer some explicit guidance to the reader. I was just responding to the suggestion that invisible text is a good substitute: it’s not, exactly for that reason – you need to put something there to warn the reader that there is something that needs to be unhidden. The spoiler box provides that warning. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/49 "2011-07-25T18:18:27Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No-what you do is pause slightly then tell the punchline to one and all. Yeah, but you do pause. I enjoy a good joke better if I can think about it for a moment - then hear the punchline. You:What’s the difference between a duck? Me: (thinks about it for a moment).. I don’t know, what? You: One foot’s both the same! Here’s how I read a joke with no spoiler box: What’s the difference between a duck?One foot’s both the same! I just like it better with a forced pause. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/50 "2011-07-25T18:18:30Z")
Another good use of spoilers is when you want to hide giant walls of text to make your post easier to read…now that I think of it, that’s actually very similar to mobile wikipedia. I also see it a lot when someone wants to quote someone’s giant post without cropping it down, but again, don’t want to tie up all that screen real estate. I’ve seen it used that way in mafia games because there tends to be A LOT of quoting in that game and again, the ability to ‘hide’ sections of a post just make it more readable. Also, on GB, where we can post pictures, I’ve put pictures in spoiler boxes so that people can read about the picture, open the spoiler and look at the picture, then close the box and go on to the next picture. Again, I just think it makes the post easier to read. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/51 "2011-07-25T18:19:23Z")
I vote against invisible text. You can’t highlight white text on an iPhone. You have to hit Quote instead to see what was written. A spoiler box does work on the iPhone. As for the OP, I don’t have a problem with people putting whatever in a spoiler box. I don’t think we need a rule restricting spoiler boxes to true spoilers. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/52 "2011-07-25T18:20:23Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I also see it a lot when someone want to quote someone’s giant post without editing it Why would you ever quote someone’s giant post without editing it? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/53 "2011-07-25T18:21:25Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Why would you ever quote someone’s giant post without editing it? Ha! I fixed that already! But if you meant “Why would you quote someone’s giant post without cropping it?” There are times where you are trying to pick apart an argument and you really want everyone to see the entire post as it was originally posted so they have something to reference. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/54 "2011-07-25T18:21:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m sorry-were you under the impression that I was posting as a moderator? I’m just asking questions and stating my personal preferences. I was. My bad. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/55 "2011-07-25T18:24:03Z")
> [@brewha](#): > > Yeah, but you do pause. I enjoy a good joke better if I can think about it for a moment - then hear the punchline. > > You:What’s the difference between a duck? > Me: (thinks about it for a moment).. I don’t know, what? > You: One foot’s both the same! > Here’s how I read a joke with no spoiler box: > What’s the difference between a duck?One foot’s both the same! > > I just like it better with a forced pause. Does it have to be either one extreme(spoiler box) or the other(not even a single space between the joke and the punchline)? How about this: What’s the difference between a duck? One foot’s both the same! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/56 "2011-07-25T18:46:01Z")
While we are on the topic of spoilers, another thing that really annoys the piss out of me, is when the thread clearly says “open spoilers” and there are godawful spoiler boxes everywhere! Aargh. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/57 "2011-07-25T18:51:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Does it have to be either one extreme(spoiler box) or the other(not even a single space between the joke and the punchline)? How about this: > > What’s the difference between a duck? > > One foot’s both the same! Well, that’s what I was trying to convey. If I can see both the setup and the punchline on the same screen, my brain starts reading the punchline before I full digest the setup. It’s really not a big deal. I’m just using it as an example of how I like to use spoiler boxes that aren’t really protecting someone from getting spoiled. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/58 "2011-07-25T19:17:40Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > While we are on the topic of spoilers, another thing that really annoys the piss out of me, is when the thread clearly says “open spoilers” and there are godawful spoiler boxes everywhere! Aargh. [Me too.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=613577) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/59 "2011-07-25T19:19:07Z")
As a general practice, I’d like it to be clear what the spoiler is spoiling. If it’s the punchline to the joke, that’s usually clear from context. When discussing a whole series, then I’d prefer to see some context of the plot point that isn’t a spoiler preceding the spoiler box, so I know if I want to open or not. Saying “Episode 12 of Season 4” doesn’t mean anything to me in most cases. Or “The Case of the Flying Monkey” as the episode title. Most episode titles don’t stick in my brain. Say “the one with the guy in the funny hat and the pet monkey, [noparse][spoiler][/noparse]” In a thread about, say, one TV series with “Open Spoilers” in the title, I’d still like spoiler boxes for anything that isn’t about that show. Say you’re discussing _Burn Notice_ with open spoilers and want to bring up a point from _24_ to contrast, I’d say that’s a spoiler box. But I don’t have a complaint against using spoiler boxes for things besides the spoilers of plot points. Except for **brewha**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265/60 "2011-07-25T20:21:39Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Anyone else have thoughts on this? Yes. You have way too much time on your hands. You need to back away from your keyboard and spend more time with your cats, your dogs, your family, or at least at your local Wal-Mart. You are taking this message board “Way-Too-Seriously”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-spoiler-boxes-be-restricted-to-spoilers/590265.md?page=4)