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Spoiler text can't be made visible on a touch screen.

This was already pointed out (here as well as elsewhere). However, that was marked as by providing the ability to see spoiler text in the mobile version of the site.

(SE seems to be using the same definition of "mobile" as Facebook does: a little phone device. These are not the only devices that are mobile!).

This is not a good solution. If I have a large-screen touch device (an iPad, an Android tablet (although this might work already and there are only about 10 of them anyway), a Windows 8 touch-only device, a Kindle Fire, a TouchPad, etc) then I don't want to use the "mobile" version of SE - it looks like crap on a large screen.

Please provide a way to unspoiler text on the real StackExchange sites.

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7
  • You could try StackMobile, which not only provides a mobile interface that looks nice on tablets but also should display spoiler text.
    – uɐɯsO uɐɥʇɐN
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 2:48
  • 3
    @GeorgeEdison thanks, but the point here is that StackExchange sites look fine and work perfectly on a touch-based interface, except that you can't read spoiler text. We don't want a different interface, we want the bug with this one fixed.
    – Tony Meyer
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 19:56
  • I thought in your question you mentioned that you didn't like the mobile interface.
    – uɐɯsO uɐɥʇɐN
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 20:41
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    @GeorgeEdison no, I don't like the mobile interface. I want the interface that I have already (i.e. the same thing that you'd see if you were using an old-fashioned mouse-based system), but where spoilers can be revealed with touch.
    – Tony Meyer
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 20:43
  • Re your "might work": Yes, it woks just fine in the Android browser, both on phones and on tablets.
    – balpha StaffMod
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 20:46
  • @Tony: Ah, I get what you're saying now. Makes perfect sense.
    – uɐɯsO uɐɥʇɐN
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 20:49
  • 5
    I feel adding some "Click/tap here" (just like on the mobile theme) would also solve issues with people not knowing about spoilers to start with.
    – Arjan
    Commented Nov 17, 2011 at 21:50

2 Answers 2

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6

In addition to the current "hover to show spoiler" functionality, the next build will allow clicking spoiler blocks to show them.

Works on latest iPad Safari (the only device I tested on).

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4

Just above each spoiler there should be a small piece of text such as: Click/Tap to see spoiler (depending on whether the device is touch-enabled), or some other visual indicator.

Not only would this be a huge usability improvement for iPad and other touch device users (like myself), but it would also help new users with a mouse.
The first time I saw a spoiler (using a mouse) I was confused by the small rectangle of colour, not realising what it was or what I was supposed to do.

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