I've started a few threads there. I think the board has a couple of problems, and the signature issue isn't one of them. I think the name is unfortunate, but I can't think of a good alternative right now. The other problem is one of identity. You know where you are with "serious discussion", but not with ivory tower.

I would like to see it used for well informed discussion topics that warrant some decent analysis. For example "Why does the Bitcoin price have dramatic price changes followed by long(ish) periods of sideways movement. Or the suggested White Helmets chemical attack in Syria that many consider to be imminent.

They really are going fo it with Python. Today's book is
Python Data Structures and Algorithms [eBook]

It's a bad idea to use a thread with an all caps title. That is one of my indicators of a low value thread, and I usually put the starter on ignore.

That must be a joke.

Good suggestion - I've done that.

Well the award and the thread has generated some great discussions, and it has enabled a few others to earn some merits. I'll justify my award by looking at the good that came from my generosity.

ps. Talk Merit says - I hope the bugger gets banned as a result.

English humour is so misunderstood. I always though I was a serious poster.

I even sold the tinfoil hat when the price of aluminium was higher.

I want to be rich so that i can pay more in tax.

Counterintuitive as it may appear, these threads of mine are not about merit or ranking. What I am trying to do is to generate some good and interesting threads, and to promote activity in them. The merit system is working, but the rain of spam can drown good threads, and wash away the seeds. Senior members often start the better topics, and this gives the newer members a chance to learn and contribute.

Of course the real irony is that the white denigrators ( that word is getting a bit close to a no-no word) of black/brown people, spend large sums of money to lie on the beach in the sun toasting themselves, and they get quite cross if they don't turn brown.

I'm only a junior merit source, and I don't know what my quota is. It isn't as simple as saying it is 300, as you have to consider the refreshment rate. Also, I'm spending too much time hunting for post to merit, and my selection process may mean that I miss a few good posts. Some of my broadbrush ignore triggers are -

- All caps titles.
- Coloured text of fancy formatting
- Full quotes of adjacent or original posts.
- Unnecessary or oversized images or text
- Begging for merits
- ICO promotion on general boards.

Maybe they are too broad, but you have to do something to avoid dedicating your life to merits. I only open threads that are at least mildly interesting, and where I can get an understanding of the topic from the title. So titles such as "beginner", " Bitcoin", "please help" or other non-specific phrases don't get opened. Threads started by people on my ignore list don't get opened either, so anyone posting in them will be missed by me.

I've started quite a few initiatives, and I've started to back away from them. With a few exceptions, most people can't be bothered to do anything here, unless it provides a chance to display their bounty signatures. I considered starting a political photo submission thread, but I decided that would soon fill with stolen images, or no relevant pictures of cats or cars.

Here is my merit source comment at the moment,
This is after today's awards. and no doubt I will receive a top up tomorrow. The 50 for a hero post would come from my personal sMerits which I keep in reserve for those special posts and projects. You will see that I don't store my source merits.

I'm trying to think of something that would justify the awarding of 50 merits, but I  can't

I was trying to stimulate the creation of a few special items for the forum.

What do you think of the idea of having a 50 merit award project for Heroes? There are already lots of awards for members helping with forum stats, so I was thinking of something that would help members expand their interest in the Bitcoin economy. I'm a bit stumped over the project though. So many things are available already.

The problem isn't the forum structure, but in its application. Without posting restrictions and controls, and the suppression of spammer signups, you are going to have to pay for increased moderation.

Another area that needs attention in my opinion, is the restriction of some classes of advertising.

The merit requirements seem to be well thought out, and I don't think that there should be a requirement to rank up to junior. When i joined the forum, I asked a lot of questions that I now realise were stupid. Fortunately the members here were very patient with me, and I learnt a lot. I don't think that I deserved to reecive any merit during that period, but moving up to junior member was an encouragement.

I believe that restricting signatures to members and above would be far more productive. The activity and merit requirements would discourage those that have joined to exploit the forum, and it would also provide the mods with with an impression of the character of the new member.

I agree that only the upper middle class could/can afford to mine Bitcoin, but they are still bringing hard currency into the country, and if they exchanged it through the government, then they could spend the profits locally, and that should benefit a number of people.

What is middle class English - is that talking through your bum? The class difference in England is more about accent, and when you eat your dinner.

My gramma was very strict, but my grandpa was more relaxed about conversation  - is that middle class English?

Do you accept English merits, I'm sorry, I've run out of Spanish ones.

I seem to remember reading an article which suggested that the privacy possibilities with Schnorr signatures may help in the event of government wire tapping. It was a bit of a secondary comment in the article though.