I'm inclined to include the non-fiction show thread in the experiment. I think there are some shows people like to talk about in Natter and other shows people talk about in Natter, because there's no place else to talk about them. I'd hate to see us ever take TV all the way out of Natter. Some people are always going to prefer that. Some people are going to prefer it for some shows. Some people are always going to hate it. The thought of anything that isn't trollish being "off-topic" for Natter rubs me more wrong than a conversation possibly happening in two threads.

I went back to see where the thread nannying happened in Natter that GC was talking about. At first, nobody thread nannied. There were a few exchanges back and forth about Rome. Then someone asked if the people talking about Rome could white font more of the conversation. After another exchange or two, there was the pointer to Boxed Set. Beej "Natter Five-O: Book 'Em, Danno." Mar 25, 2007 10:18:07 pm PDT

Hey Buffistas, any more opinions on the white/black font for the experimental threads? If you think we need white font, how many days sound reasonable to you?

I'd like a few threads where I can post about something and actually come back in few hours and find a few more posts on the subject and add something to it. Threads like Natter are all about the here and now for me. I might as well be talking about the show in a multi-person IM. One of the things that I like about forums is that I can post something, get pulled away for a few hours, and then jump back in. I don't find that I can do that in threads like Natter.

Are there existing threads that fit this model that you are thinking of here?

I like the idea of whitefont in a multi-show thread, because I'm sometimes watching everything a day late, and I'd hate to get spoiled for Thursday's show when I've just watched Wednesday's. But I guess blackfont works in Boxed Set, right? I don't watch any of those shows, so I don't really know.

I'm definitely in favor of blackfont once something has aired. Once it's aired, heck, you could get spoiled just visiting Slate or Salon or chatting with a co-worker. What are you supposed to do, lock yourself in a box?

Are there existing threads that fit this model that you are thinking of here?

Probably the Hero's thread, but I'm not in that one since I'm not currently watching the show. I hope to catch up on it this summer. I used to be able do to that with the Buffy and Angel threads. Mid week when it wasn't right after an airing things would show down and you could post and have an exchange back and forth that wasn't immediate. I was also about to do it long ago in the threads before Boxed Set when there weren't as many shows and I was watching a larger portion of what was being discussed in there.

TAR/Planet Earth/This American Life/Mythbusters/Dirty Jobs/Frontline was what I was thinking.

TAL is discussed in Premium, but I have no quibbles about it also being discussed in a nonfic thread. I'd personally be inclined to separate reality shows from documentary/history/scripted non-fiction. But either one would work for me, I'd be happy to talk about all those shows in whatever incarnation.

I'd personally prefer whitefont for a week. But I have a feeling I'm going to lose this one.

I'd personally prefer whitefont for a week. But I have a feeling I'm going to lose this one.

I don't think this will be too difficult -- we already do it in Movies.

Anyway, once the css version of the board is rolled out, people who hate whitefont can just turn it off, right?

[edit - fixed wrong quote]

TAL is discussed in Premium, but I have no quibbles about it also being discussed in a nonfic thread. I'd personally be inclined to separate reality shows from documentary/history/scripted non-fiction.

I would too, but not for the experiment.

I like the idea of whitefont in a multi-show thread, because I'm sometimes watching everything a day late, and I'd hate to get spoiled for Thursday's show when I've just watched Wednesday's. But I guess blackfont works in Boxed Set, right? I don't watch any of those shows, so I don't really know.

It does work in Boxed Set, or at least seems to. On the other hand, I only really watch one show in there, so I don't care about spoilers for other stuff.

I wonder how many days white font is sufficient for the experiment for people who do want white font in a broad thread. I cut my teeth at the Bronze, which was one big linear board and had no spoiler font, so I really can whiz right by spoilers I don't want to read without a problem, and I'm not spoiler averse to begin with. My point is, I don't have a clue on this.

I'd personally prefer whitefont for a week. But I have a feeling I'm going to lose this one.

eta...

Now that I think about it, probably because that's how long we used spoiler font at the Bronze Beta, once they rolled it out.