Bitcoin Forum

Oh how times change. :) It’s great people have become so passionate about this forum lately. Regardless of our differing opinions, we share a pretty cool common interest.

Yes, it is interesting to see many new people joining the discussions in meta and trying to give there inputs in every situation of forum development. This has also made ways for more creative suggestion's even from low level accounts which could solve some major problems of the forum.

IMO, theymos was a bit wrong then in judging meta! ;)

It is the greatness of time that our own opinion sometimes becomes opposite to our own views and now the meta is platform where  everyone enjoys the congenial sharing.

Actually I'd like to go back to a time where no one reads meta. I'm disappointed that a lot of the boards here are slightly peninsula like. That is, only a few people come and go with the guards overseeing their movement (whom the passers by fear).

It's fair to say that meta is an important part of this forum but it feels more like its centre at the moment in a way I don't like...

Don't forget merit played a huge part in this.  Lets give it sometime lets not jump into conclusions. Some of those new first timers on meta are actually looking for merit and from this post
The title of that topic was "Post in Meta Section They Say, You will have merits they say" so that's how most of them are thinking and possibly when they get the merit they were searching for off to the alternative currency board or bitcoin discussion board to continue their spamming just to earn post count.

Anyway, their presence have added more creative suggestion and disscussion to the board. So lets just hope it last.

I've always liked to read meta! This is where dreams are born ;).

Brb need to suggest negative merits :D

I am pretty much agree with @CryptopreneurBrainboss, if I am not wrong meta is the one of high merit transaction board. However it's just a part of revolution. There is 4 year gap (almost). Lots of change / implementation came out on the forum. Members are sharing creative idea to improve forum. That's why lot of users want to read and write post on meta.

In my opinions, "Meta is most constructive board" if you compare with other board.

The current meta is a forum for exchanging very enthusiastic thoughts on the current topic or problem freely related to the meta forum. In the problems on Meta that arise today many are solved.

whereas Meta in the current situation, many people talk about problems, accounts on the terrace, blocking, Merit systems, DT and forum rules.
So, be interested in resolving the problem or attention of members who have problems that you want to solve. I think that many are reading, few give responses and answers on Meta.

We're just the same but usually, I didn't reply to some topics here all I want is to gather new updates on forum or somethings newly happen like implementing rules. Just like the announcement of theymos.

That's the reason why some members motivated to do posting constructive replies/post here and hoping to single merit to receive. (including me :D). So, this is now the reflection of the merit system, members here pushing themselves to have a good post and aiming for precious merit to gain, sounds good, isn't it?

Theymos should be very happy to have an active meta section now. I beleive users are taking meta section with a great importance to enrich their own knowledge. Yeah some guys think that meta is the right place to earn merits.

In my view you can get merits from anywhere if your topic and thoughts are creative. Meta can't be a fixed section to earn merits. If you are enough capable you can earn it from anysection.

Its really interesting that bitcointalk community increasing too fast. Everyday we are getting new members here . Its not only making our forum much bigger & stronger but also creating opportunities. Maybe there was a time when our community was smaller but now we are rising together.

But should that be the case?  Should one make quality post or do something great for the forum just because s/he wants to receive merits? I guess no.  This merit motivation is what's resulting to multiple threads on already discussed matters and low quality topics on meta just to seek attention. If only we can learn to do some selfless act like Vod, DdmrDdnr and LoyceV does only then will the forum achieve greatness and regain her pass glory.

We should learn to make quality post because the forum and her users needs it, not for our selfish reasons of wanting merits to rank up.

Turned this into a merit thread?

I am interested in the politics around here to keep the forum inline with Satoshi as best I can see.
I don't try to suck up to whoever has power, rather I probably piss them off.
I don't post here to get merits.
I try to use my voice to keep this free and fair to all..

I come here mainly for the drama, but its definitely one of my top 3 sections. I also thoroughly enjoy Scam Accusations and Reputation.


Or crushed if you come here looking for an explanation of why your best bounty hunter profile got banned and end up getting 3 of your alts banned in the process.


I think it would be funny if you could expend 10 sMerits to delete 1 of somebody's merits. Then you could theoretically rank a Legendary down to a Noob with a minimum expenditure of 10,000 sMerits.

I guess not, we still have the Serious Discussion, Project and Development section and Mining Section :P , (if that is,...you're only comparing the post qualities in which are very constructive... But, in a sense of discussions, well I cann also agree, that Meta is still at it)

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In my case, its not for Merits, its for my own. I'm trying to be here and join the discussion not just to earn Merits, with you guys on a different country with different kinds and types of knowledge I can learn and expand my vocabulary. Although my major goal is to rank up into Legendary, but I can't be on that matter always.

And this Meta is the only section where can we find and know others. So its better if we engage on discussiins here.

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Might be, for most, Merit has been the major topic in these past months due to its implementation a year ago.

Meta used to just be a section where users would ask moderators and veteran members for help finding a feature, or to ask questions regarding something directly related to forum accessibility. People didn't really read through it, because most of the time the threads didn't involve much discussion, it was, "What does this rule mean?" or "How do I block PMs" or the occasional, "Hey you guys suck, this forum is run by dictators, why can't I spam?"

Its been an interesting transition towards the free for all that it is now. The noise to signal ratio has increased dramatically, but at the same time its kind of cool to know that at the very least someone gives a damn about whatever problem you are having. If people just utilized the ignore button 500% more, most problems now would be solved. But at least there are still good threads about people asking questions that don't devolve into infighting.

Merit and DT related questions belong in Meta, but I think people are taking too many liberties with tying individual DT or Merit complaints to the system as a whole to reach a broader audience with their grievances.

You cannot deny the fact that everyone(forum members)except those who've attained the highest rank(legendary),have ranking up goals at the back of their mind(you included)check out your 2019 goals here: With that being said how else do you intend to do all this ranking up stipulated without earning merits?,it's definitely not possible,thus merits would be at the back of your mind as you try to construct your posts,but that's not a bad thing to do as long as it doesn't affect the post quality or you do not beg for it,then it's safe to do.
I think we should forget about the bad side of the merit system,it also has a trailer load of positives it's brings
1)it serves as a source of motivation
2)self satisfaction when one earns a them on their posts
3)encourages quality posts,and if everyone can all brush up their posting skills to earn merits,then shitposts would be obliterated
4)its an efficient forum reward system,that seperates the "weeds for the crops"
5)It also hinders bad posters from ranking up
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That's were you got it all wrong. I'm not saying i don't have goals to rank up or other shouldn't but what I'm saying is posting on meta just to get merit isn't the appropriate thing to do.  Look at my merit stats I hardly get merit from Meta but that didn't stop me form writing quality replies when I get a chance to right one.  The moment you stop replying thread just because you want merit but to contribute in the little way you can, then the merit you never received will start coming. I did a thread on that sometime ago tilted Stop searching for merits and you will received them.- see Smerit as liabilities (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5030752.msg45824612#msg45824612//)

Don't agree. If the system is broken enough to allow widespread abuse as it is now then the system needs review. Meta is the place to review it and suggest ways to fix it.

Yes indeed, long live the congenial sharing.

The forum has really grown in all realm. And the meta section is now having a great deal of attention but the negative effects is that some users still bastardises it with there spamming, merit hunting and sometimes trolling

And that’s only back in 2014 :D
Now some people would pimp out their own Grandmother to get into people’s custom trust lists, onto DT & to get Merit.

I’d rather just continue to buy bitcoin whilst the price is so cheap thanks.

Leave me out :)

I don't agree with users who are saying that Merit played crucial role and why Meta one of the best boards in Bitcointalk. It was already good before Merit system. And it's fault of spammers - normal discussions become impossible in main boards like Bitcoin/Altcoin discussion, Economics. So, users who cares about forum just moved to Meta to discuss how to solve biggest problems of Bitcointalk. It become one of rare places on Bitcointalk where people actually read what other users wrote.
Offcourse, Merit caused some changes in this board also. People started to create interesting stat analysis and other stuff - we didn's saw these things before Merit system. Others just came here with expectations that they can get Merits in Meta easier than in other boards.
Sometimes I'm amazed to see all that drama here or in Reputation. Maybe for me Bitcointalk is just a forum, but sometimes it looks that this forum is the most important thing in their life for some users.

Personally, i find a lot of fun by following all the drama here or in Reputation or in Accusations, but it remains for me to be just a forum.. I check Meta everyday. I see Meta as a perfect dedicated board to discuss the forum activity and to be opened for any user to suggest or to comment. What i hate about Meta is how it is considered by some users to be a source of receiving merit, good posters always in Meta but some are just posting to complete the required number of posts before the end of the week, for signature campaigns. I think Mods,admins, and DT members read threads in Meta, daily, which make it, may be, the most important board.

I'm here for three years soon and also discovered Meta board to myself only the last year. Only here I can read comments page by page because of the drama and fights  :D
Meta is one of the most important boards here and the most interesting one. I do not understand people who say the board is unnecessary.

Pretty sure nobody is saying that, and if they are they're mistaken. 

Theymos's quote is still partially correct.  Seems like few people actually read stuff in Meta; a lot of members just post here in hopes of earning merits or getting in the good graces of DT members--and I'm not talking about the Meta regulars but typically "unknown" users who stop by to offer "helpful suggestions" about issues that have already been discussed ad nauseum.  Also notice that when we had the 1-merit requirement for ranking up Newbie accounts implemented, we had multiple members complaining in Meta that they wished there had been a discussion about the decision beforehand and that they were taken completely by surprise when the change went into effect.

Meanwhile, that particular issue had indeed been debated for months before Theymos actually did anything.  If the newly-busted Newbies had been reading Meta, they would have not only known that it might be coming but could have given their input. 

The posting-for-merits has died down considerably in Meta since September, and for that I'm grateful--except now those garbage posters have been replaced by genuinely quality posters who are at war with one another about the trust system, and there's also been a spike in trolling.  This does make for some excellent reading and provides a good dose of entertainment (except for the trolling, which isn't done well), so all in all I'd concur with OgNasty that times have certainly changed in this particular section since 2014 and before.  I wasn't around until 2015, but even then I don't remember Meta being this active.

There is always a spike in activity on this board whenever there is a big change to the forum. We saw a spike with the introduction of merit, we saw a spike with the 1-merit-for-signature rule, and now we are seeing a spike with the new DT changes. Most of the merit spam has died down (in here at least) as word seems to have finally gotten round that all you will gain if you post in here with a thinly veiled plea for merit is someone thoroughly reviewing your post history and a ban for any plagiarism. As you say, thankfully the posts surrounding the DT changes are generally much more constructive* than any of the posts regarding merit or its changes. Expect another spike in activity in a few days with the second reincarnation of the new DT1 list.

*With all the trolls on ignore, of course. Highly recommended.

They must have gotten discourage that's why. Normally newbie has that feeling "if I just post some decent posts on meta I will get merited" but what they fail to realize is that the criteria to get merited is higher on meta then most other board minus the technical Disscussion board. Guess many of them learned that the hard way.and some turned to copper membership for rescue that's why the numbers reduce drastically.