denbeste@bbn.com (Steven Den Beste) (11/11/89)
I suppose it is about time to remind people about this convention. If you post or followup an article and give away the answer to a puzzle or otherwise talk about something (like the ending of a book or movie) which gives something away, please put the word "SPOILER" in your title. That way someone who doesn't want to know will know not to read your article. As an example, this was just posted under the subject line Subject: Re: Zak McKracken I have gone in and zapped some words so that THIS is not a spoiler. Here is what the article body said: >In article <4502@draak.cs.vu.nl> ywcheun@cs.vu.nl (Cheung Y W) writes: >>I have a problem with the adventure Zak McKracken. How can Zak make >>a fire in the cave of the two headed squirrel? > You need to use the *******, which you find on the *****, with >something that you can use to start a fire, like the **** **** outside >the ****. Do this in the pit. >> >>Y-W Cheung. > -Brandon! Sometimes even a QUESTION is a spoiler. For instance, "Once I've gotten the magic wand from the troll, what do I do with it?" and someone who reads this says "Magic Wand? The troll has a magic wand?" and starts cursing at you for ruining his game. Steven C. Den Beste || denbeste@bbn.com (ARPA/CSNET) BBN Communications Corp. || {apple, usc, husc6, csd4.milw.wisc.edu, 150 Cambridge Park Dr. || gatech, oliveb, mit-eddie, Cambridge, MA 02140 || ulowell}!bbn.com!denbeste (USENET)