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I have to admit, I didn't even know spoilers were supported until today, but really bugs me that spoilers just look like empty block quotes before you mouse over them.

Is this a spoiler or just a long empty block quote? I can't tell right away, so it would be really nice if there was some indication of which one it was so I didn't have to push my mouse all the way over to it. What can I say, I'm incredibly lazy.

vs.

 

 

I suppose the author should include something that says 'Spoilers below:', but it would be nice if there was some other indication of what it was.

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9
  • I've thought this before too, +1 for bringing it up for me :P
    – user154510
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:03
  • 1
    +1 these should stand out more readily than just have no text until mouse-over.
    – Yuck
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:08
  • 5
    Or, killing two birds with one stone: render it like the mobile sites.
    – Arjan
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:10
  • 4
    How do you make a long empty block quote?
    – Bill the Lizard
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:11
  • 4
    @Bill Very carefully.
    – user149432
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:18
  • 4
    @Mark: Thanks for that. Now I wonder if you've just created the first one. I honestly can't see how this is a huge problem for anyone.
    – Bill the Lizard
    Aug 26, 2011 at 19:29
  • 3
    @Bill, the user profiles show a grey block that most people know to simply ignore if empty. So, not knowing about spoilers, I guess one might ignore grey spoiler blocks too. (In fact, I think it's even less obvious if there's only one or two lines. Might just look like some fancy separator, to some.)
    – Arjan
    Aug 26, 2011 at 20:17
  • 2
    Ah, perfect example of the differences for spoiler vs. quote on the mobile site.
    – Arjan
    Aug 26, 2011 at 20:43
  • Even the empty gray block on the user profile got an explanation!
    – Arjan
    Nov 16, 2011 at 21:50

3 Answers 3

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7

Why would you ever have empty blockquotes?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%26_Dale#.22Dr._Kronkheit_and_His_Only_Living_Patient.22

SMITH: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.
DALE: Don't do that.

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3
  • 2
    True, but I feel the point was: somehow indicate they are spoilers. (Like also noted in comments underneath the first announcement.)
    – Arjan
    Aug 27, 2011 at 8:16
  • 3
    You might not have empty block quotes, but that doesn't mean everyone using the site knows that there is [generally] no such thing as empty block quotes. If I don't happen to move my mouse in the right spot (and I usually don't move it over stuff I'm trying to read...) then I'd never know that there's hidden text under there. I can't see what's wrong with providing some kind of visual indication, like "(Hover here to reveal text)". (Of course, that said, I've never used spoiler text and I've never actually seen a case where it is required.)
    – Cody Gray - on strike
    Aug 28, 2011 at 0:18
  • 1
    Someone might call a spoiler a faceless, unforgiving blank grey box! ;-)
    – Arjan
    Nov 16, 2011 at 21:52
3

I've made a userscript to add hover to show spoiler to all spoilers:

$('.spoiler').prepend("<div id='isSpoiler' style='color:red; font-size:smaller; float:right;'>hover to show spoiler<div>");
$('.spoiler').hover(function () {
    $(this).find('#isSpoiler').hide(500);
}, function () {
    $(this).find('#isSpoiler').show(500);
});

I've added it to my Optional Features userscript.

enter image description here

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2

I wouldn't mind if spoilers were even harder to spot than it is now. I think

it would be great

if small innocent-looking piece of screen could suddenly "explode"

to show the reader

a terrific picture like
hand-drawn in mspaint image of a narwhal
that has been hidden before hovering

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