Do spoilers really "ruin" things? Or make things more interesting?

[Dana]

No: HPFGUIDX 168750

leslie41:
> I've been thinking about the latest DH related story, in which 
> Rowling is pleading with those that have knowledge of the plot not 
> to reveal it, lest that revelation "diminish (the readers') 
pleasure > in the book".  
<snip>

Dana:
Well to some extent I agree with you, because I myself only started 
reading the books this last December (Yes I know, under which rock 
have I been living?) and I had seen the movies before the books.

I had read some things about the books on-line after the books were 
long published. Before I read them and what actually made me decide 
to read them. There is so much in the books that you would never 
know by just reading on-line or watch to movies. 

However after I finished OotP and knowing, from reading on-line, 
that some things would not be explained in HBP, I did not want to 
read HBP at first. I did because I already got the book in my 
possession but I was really dreading it (reading it, not the story 
line of HBP), because I only wanted to know one specific thing that 
frustrated me endlessly at the end of OotP and HBP would not give 
the answers to these questions. (I still only want to read DH for 
the same reason) 

I do understand that if it came out definitely, that for instance, 
Harry would die in DH, that this could seriously damage the 
interests of fans to read the last book. Speculation he might die is 
not the same as knowing. For people reading the books after DH has 
been published will read the books with a different image of the 
books then fans now waiting to see how the series will end and 
wanting to get there questions answered. 

JMHO

Dana