[Forum software] What is "Spoiler" in comments used for?

[R C-R]

Spoiler

This is a spoiler

Do we really need this?

[firstdefence]

Well probably not but maybe one could add comments that aren't generally to do with the subject matter of the post so that it doesn't unnecessarily interrupt the flow of the post.

Spoiler

I love Aldi Museli with ice cold milk yummy.

 

[R C-R]

1 minute ago, firstdefence said:

Well probably not but maybe one could add comments that aren't generally to do with the subject matter of the post so that it doesn't unnecessarily interrupt the flow of the post.

But since there is no indication of what the hidden content is about, there is no way to know if it really is off-topic until/unless it is revealed. It also is possible to unhide & quote it in a reply (like below), so it is no longer hidden.

6 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

I love Aldi Museli with ice cold milk yummy.

It just seems like something with no useful purpose in a support forum.

[kenmcd]

Usually that content is hidden from guest users.
So it is an incentive to join the forum to be able to see the content.

Some forums require using this for links and other content they do not want search engines to see or follow.

 

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, LibreTraining said:

Usually that content is hidden from guest users.

From what I can tell, it is hidden for all users, but I suppose guest users might not be able to reveal it.

[Alfred]

2 hours ago, R C-R said:

It just seems like something with no useful purpose in a support forum.

The feature was enabled in the wake of this discussion. If you don’t find it useful, don’t use it!

[R C-R]

2 minutes ago, Alfred said:

The feature was enabled in the wake of this discussion. 

I don't see much point in hiding content that anyone (possibly other than guest users?) can reveal whenever they want, or include it unhidden in a quote in a reply.

[kenmcd]

2 hours ago, R C-R said:

but I suppose guest users might not be able to reveal it.

Exactly.

 

1 hour ago, R C-R said:

or include it unhidden in a quote in a reply.

I do not know how it works in this forum software, but in others the hidden text is not included in quoted replies.

Paid forums, and/or forums that do not want the links or content revealed outside the forum use these features.

And as you mentioned above, this is not an important feature in a support forum like this.

[R C-R]

26 minutes ago, LibreTraining said:

I do not know how it works in this forum software, but in others the hidden text is not included in quoted replies.

In this reply above, I quoted the "spoiler text" that @firstdefence included in his reply:

5 hours ago, R C-R said:

  5 hours ago, firstdefence said:

I love Aldi Museli with ice cold milk yummy.

I can do the same with the "spoiler text" in my OP:

5 hours ago, R C-R said:

This is a spoiler

 All that is required is to click on "Reveal hidden contents" & then highlight the text. That pops up the "Quote selection" button, just like with any other selection.