Please do NOT shut down the site. I suggest just putting a very blatant spoiler alert option on the new stories.

Moranar @ May 17, 2007 03:38 pm

The Cabal does a lot of hard work and deserves adequate time to read the seventh book so closing the site for two weeks is fair.

I think that if you warn in advance about the site closure you will not get the same reaction you did on April 1st.

Just my two cents

caps @ May 17, 2007 04:15 pm

Is it possible to lock the site rather then shutting it down? That way people wouldn't be able to add stories about the new book. Plus, it gives some newcomers time to go back and read stories that have been on the site for awhile.

maverick_33_ca @ May 17, 2007 04:36 pm

Please don't shut the website down, or at least not for two weeks. I remeber the night the 6th book came out, at like 11 i was reading a fic that had just been updated because the author wanted to finnish before the book came out. I suggest adding a spoiler warning and not posting any story related to the 7th book. http://unknowableroom.org/poll/poll.php?id=150
this website did a poll.

Akt5us @ May 17, 2007 07:23 pm

If it isn't to much to ask, if all fails can you just lock the site down like someone has mentioned so no one can add new stories?

I know on some forums, forgive me if this is already here, where they have a function for spoilers. I'm not sure how it works exactly but it "hides" spoilers so people have to click it to see. I'm assuming it is some kind of coding. I don't think I was very helpful. Sorry

LimnHere @ May 17, 2007 07:41 pm

You could lock the forums, maybe for a week *Eek* and then let no one post any new stories for about a week to 2 weeks after. If any of the forum"ers" want to communicate, we could do so by LJ?

Alluring_Twilight @ May 17, 2007 08:53 pm

I'm for closing new submissions for two weeks. If we keep the archive itself open at least people who have finished can continue to read D/G goodness and console themselves if need be.

The forums are a different matter entirely: for the sake of giving everyone a fair chance to read closing them for two weeks may be the only option.

Just my two bits worth :)

dragonsangel68 @ May 17, 2007 09:53 pm

I concur with some of the others about just closing down the submissions for two weeks. It will suck not to have new fic to read, but we'll survive. I don't think it's necessary to close down the entire site.

KateinVA @ May 18, 2007 06:31 am

Can we come after them with pitchforks if they do? Locking sounds like a good idea. As for the forums, I don't know. Maybe some kind of harsher sentence if they breath one spoiler? Or perhaps if they have not read the book yet and wish too, they ought to just stay away.

The best bet overall is just to close everything but give pleeeeeeeeeeenty of warning!

WolfStar @ May 18, 2007 06:31 am

For the forum, you could create a temporary thread(s) for any spoiler news or discussions. That way those who wish to take part can, and those who aren't finished with the book will have the option of skipping over it.

For the site, I'm not so sure. You could always warn authors to hold off with the spoilers for a certain amount of time, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will listen or even realize what's going on.

soundspretty @ May 18, 2007 10:26 am

With the rabid love some of us hold for D/G, it really seems best to stop submissions for a period, and a temporary thread for spoiler-related discussion seems an amazing idea. Some won't be able to hold their tongues long enough for the rest to finish the book, y'know?

That allows for as much "ZOMG CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!"-ing as necessary!

kitsuko_san @ May 18, 2007 01:34 pm

My suggestion would be to lock the site so that people can read but not submit for 2 weeks. That way no spoilers can get in, and people who finish the book in 18 hours (such as myself) wont go crazy for the rest of the 13 days this site would be down while waiting for everyone else to finish.
As for the forums, do NOT close those down, PLEASE, people NEED others to talk to once they are done reading! I swarm the HP forums looking for people to talk to about the books when I'm done.
I hate it when people get upset that there are "spoilers" on forums. It's like, "hello? what are you doing ONLINE, shouldn't you be READING if you have not finished?" Honestly though, who will be on a fanfiction site, reading or talking on forums, when they have the seventh HP book to read? The only people online SHOULD be the ones already done with it, so why deprive them of forums and fanfiction? That's just my logic, however.
I would just have spoiler warnings on the forums and anyone that disregards them does so at their own risk and are responsible for whatever information them come across. I think that is fair, and anyone running around the forums in a "Snape kills Dumbledore!!!" fashion in every topic can of course be dealt with harshly because, even if that is not a spoiler to anyone reading it, I'm sure that would be their intention.

RaineMalfoy @ May 18, 2007 04:23 pm

locking sounds good to me, i dont think closing completly is a good idea because ppl are gonna finish the book at diff. times it wouldnt be fair to the speedy readers. you could also put a HUGE spoilers sign with neon lights and everything :P (make it look like a christmas tree eh?)

but you do what you think is convenient and i dont know if i have mention this any other time but you are doing a great job with this site. Keep it up!

sweet gurl @ May 19, 2007 06:07 am

I agree that locking submissions seems the best way to handle spoilers. That way people can get their D/G fix, but can't upload anything spoilery.

As for the forums, I think if you maintain a strict No Spoilers rule, and create a board expressly for DH, then maybe you can manage to keep the forums open, too. Perhaps if you even broke the Book 7 thread down by chapter (which may be huge and unweildy, I admit) then you can truly maintain a spoiler-free system; people can join in on discussions no matter where they are in their reading.

Just my two cents, though. Worst comes to worst, the world can survive forum-less for two weeks, I think.

tudorrose1533 @ May 19, 2007 06:12 am

I see how the forums could be tricky.  Perhaps closing them for a two week period would be the best way to avoid unnecessary spoilage.

I'm all for closing submissions for a period of time.  As for closing the site entirely, I don't think that's necessary.  However, if you choose to, that's a completely different story than the April Fool's prank.  I'm assuming you would put up a notice letting people know why the site is temporarily closed and when it will open back up.  That would answer any questions and alleviate any undue stress as was the case on April 1st. 

seegrim @ May 19, 2007 10:55 am

Oooh for the archive I can see just locking down and not allowing new stories being archived for the two weeks - but the reading and reviewing process still being availible.

For the forums, I suppose a close down would be fine. - You know what's sad... that people can't be trusted to keep spoilers in a thread ABOUT spoilers. Do you think if there was a board on Spoilers for the new book people could leave their Book 7 thoughts there?

jandjsalmon @ May 19, 2007 12:27 pm

I agree with Raine on this one. When I finish I am going to want to talk about it, even if I have to chat about it through a PM.

razzle_be_dazzled @ May 19, 2007 03:55 pm

Agree heavily with RaineMalfoy.

A lock down sounds good.

elyaeru @ May 20, 2007 04:32 am

I agree about locking the dite, but leaving it open (because if worst comes to worst, we might need a good dose of D/G to help heal our wounded psyches) for reading fics.

I also think that the forums should stay open. Create a DH thread, let people know that if they choose to go to the forums, they might be spoiled, and leave it at that. If you do not want spoilers, do not visit the site. It can be their own descision.

ContessaNatasha @ May 20, 2007 07:16 am

The problem with creating dedicated areas for spoilers, is that there will ALWAYS be what us MMO gamers term 'Griefers' who don't care how flamed they get, how banned/warned/face-melted they get, just so long as they can put up a post that says "HARRY DIES OMFG!111!!! HA HA U FREEKS I SPOILED IT 4 U!" which however fast the mods act, will still inevitably be seen by SOMEONE and thats just plain unfair.

Then of course there are the stupid people who STILL miss the massive emboldened, neon sign that says 'POST SPOILERS HERE ONLY' and put their 'I'm really sad now, Hagrid shouldn't have been turned into a tree, that was mean of JKR' in the 'general' forum... *headdesk*

For my tuppenceworth, I've been deliberately avoiding ALL forums for about the last year because I got sick and tired of the endless loops of debate and flame wars that occured around the last book release, so tbh, it really isn't going to matter to me because I will be exercising my right to choose not to look at all. Which is a sensible option for those wishing to avoid all possible incidences of spoilerism.

So for my tuppenceworth, I think the only way you can avoid the Griefers or N00b posters is to totally shut down the 'general' discussion forums. However I wonder if it would be possible to create a 'portal' site that links to one of the message boards wherein the site is a blank screen with a hyperlink in the middle saying "I wish to discuss Book 7. Anything I read or post within these forums is a book 7 spoiler." Or words to that effect, which then leaves no-one in any doubt as to what they'll find upon clicking said text to let them into said spoiler forum.

As for the main fic site, I agree with a poster above that said that the cabal deserve some time to read, absorb, sob over, then discuss Book 7 without having the added pressure of dealing with fic submissions.

I'm sure we all have our favourite stories that we read and re-read and if we need a shot of D/G goodness, there are plenty of things to read in this archive without only reading the new submissions. Portkey Party is a particular favourite of mine...

So I'm in favour of a hiatus in fic submissions and a spoiler 'portal'.

Lex.

Myanceris @ May 20, 2007 02:25 pm

I have to say that shutting the forums down and locking submissions for two weeks seems to be the best option. I am all for IM's to discuss DH. The Cabal deserves the time to read and reread if they want to.

Airmid @ May 20, 2007 02:25 pm

Locking submissions for two weeks definitely does seem best. We'll all have plenty to read in the meantime, if we're not spazzing over DH.

Jester Hellking @ May 21, 2007 04:30 am

Instead of locking down for two weeks and closing submissions, just don't accept any new ones. All submissions must be checked through the Cabal and if no one okays a new story for the two weeks then authors don't have to remember to post and the Cabal has time to read the book. That way you aren't shutting anything down. The only downside is there will be catch up reading for submissions but I for one am willing to volunteer time to help lessen the load during the two weeks if the Cabal requests help. No matter what, the decision made will work for everyone I'm sure!

freegin

freegin @ May 21, 2007 05:22 pm

Not all submissions are cleared by the Cabal. Some authors, who have shown a strong grasp of grammar, spelling, and following the submission rules, and have permission from Mynuet, are allowed to submit their stories independently.

seegrim @ May 21, 2007 05:57 pm

I think closing down submissions and the forums for two weeks is a good idea. I dont think you should shut the whole site down, so we can console ourselves with D/G wonderfulness if it turns out horribly. If you're going to though, I'd suggest making it well known that it's only temporary and that it WILL be coming back. I think that was the big scoff with April 1st, but if everyone knows it shouldnt be that big of a deal. Hopefully. :)

kellbell930 @ May 21, 2007 11:22 pm