Sigh. Life was simpler before TiVo and downloads. Ahhh, the communal experience of watch-n-post! Good ole days in which we all sat around a campfire roasting chestnuts and listened to the same stories! Technology is our ruin!

t bashes self on the head with a frying pan

t hugs the TiVo

If we didn't have the wacky discrepant-per-country Sci-Fi channel scheduling, I'd be more than fine with something like 1 wk grace period until one catches up with the TiVo-d episode, but the way it stands now, two different types of white-fonting for aired and unaired episodes makes things way too confusing (and it's the way it is in the thread right now, and it's unruly as hell.)

As I understand it, the desire for white fonted discussion is that some people Tivo shows and don't watch them right away, so blackfonted discussion will drive them out of the thread altogether.

As someone who does frequently Tivo and watch a few days later (for BSG these days, mostly) I think staying out of the thread until I watch is not too big a hardship (for me). Less of one, anyway, than trying to figure out a whitefonting system that would cover me.

What would work, though? We could whitefont up until the next ep is broadcast, or for a certain number of days afterwards. Since these shows are mostly airing on Friday anyway, whitefonting through the weekend wouldn't be too complicated.

Jess, I see your point about the different broadcast schedules here and in Canada/UK. But I'm not sure how to handle expecting people to follow where things air in a place other than their own. Vonnie's suggestion would address that, but just seemed a bit too much for me. Thoughts?

I don't see any point in making Tivo allowances -- if you are make primetime wait for you, it's a bit much to ask the thread to wait too. I do see a point in whitefonting for west coast airing, but I haven't seen as how it works altogether well -- usually, it tends to come out whitefonted way too long, or blackfonted too soon.

I do think that blackfont upon first airing is the practical thing to do (also, because whitefont tends to creep in). Downloaders and early UnAmericans may discuss in whitefont.

it tends to come out whitefonted way too long, or blackfonted too soon.

In Boxed Set, it's seemed to be quite right, actually -- the whitefont may go on a little long, but no longer than the first west coaster, and it's a misdemeanour compared to the spoilage felony.

Okay, I'm now quite amused at the thought of misdemeanor/felony grades of spoilage.

In hard-time lockup, all the Spoiler Hos would form a whole prison gang, and make the poor Spoiler Fishies into their Bitches, and plot against the screws that walk the tier.

Vonnie's suggestion would address that, but just seemed a bit too much for me.

Tracking down the episode numbers may be too much work. I guess we can just say,

SG-1, Moebius 1 (US-unaired)

... at the onset of the disucssion. Those who are downloading at least tend to know the episode titles, so whoever wants to follow the discussion then just address the person and tag on the ep title before white-font begins.

In hard-time lockup, all the Spoiler Hos would form a whole prison gang, and make the poor Spoiler Fishies into their Bitches, and plot against the screws that walk the tier.

I don't have anything to add to this discussion, but the idea of a thread titled "The Soylent Green Diet" amuses me.

Carry on.

I do see a point in whitefonting for west coast airing

It's not so necessary. I got used to hopping out of the show threads when their particular shows aired on the east coast. Again, it's not a particular hardship. We don't have to pitch the standard to maximum convenience for the spoiler avoidant. I think we shoot for something which is clear, easy to remember and promotes discussion.

It'd be a shame to have to wait to discuss Stargate until after BSG airs to avoid being spoiled. Doesn't affect me, though, so my opinion is not so valuable.