Merit & new rank requirements

[stelee68]

I have an idea. What if there are merit sources only for threads and only merit sources only for posts?

So.. your idea is to award different Merits for starting a new thread, and separate merits for replying to a post?...

Kind of remind me of a famous quote:

"What do you call a dog with no legs?"
Answer : Doesn't matter what you call it, because it won't come to you!

Same thing here. Doesn't matter either way, we ain't getting any! lolz...

[Eirecoin]

 
[/quote]

So.. your idea is to award different Merits for starting a new thread, and separate merits for replying to a post?...

Kind of remind me of a famous quote:

"What do you call a dog with no legs?"
Answer : Doesn't matter what you call it, because it won't come to you!

Same thing here. Doesn't matter either way, we ain't getting any! lolz...

[/quote]

haha funny, but it can work tho... But only if we get more merit sources since there are only 119 for the whole bitcointalk forum (+2 million members) You have any ideas?

[S_Therapist]

But only if we get more merit sources since there are only 119 for the whole bitcointalk forum (+2 million members) You have any ideas?

There are 2+ million member here but how many are active? If you consider the active members only, isn't 119 merit sources sufficient? Besides, a lot of members are also spending sMerits who are not merit sources. We should consider the circulation of sMerits, not the merit sources.
Currently, sMerits are being poured mainly at meta, bitcoin discussion and local boards. The only board which is not getting enough merit is Altcoin Discussion. Regarding this, I can say this board isn't getting enough merit because the quality of that board is very poor. No real discussion is happening there. People are only participating on that boarrd only for fulfilling the signature requirements. Lots of garbages are being posted daily. Therefore, no one with good intention will spend sMerits there.
I believe the system is working fine and we do have available sources too. We need more sources on some local boards, one may be Indian board.

[stelee68]

haha funny, but it can work tho... But only if we get more merit sources since there are only 119 for the whole bitcointalk forum (+2 million members) You have any ideas?
[/quote]

I have already suggested that BCT should abolish the Merit system.

In my opinion, the Merit system was introduced early this year 2018, mainly for the following 3 reasons:
1. Curb the number of spam accounts during the FOMO period;
2. promotes higher quality posts;
3. award and reward the higher ranking members such as Legendary accounts, by giving them the power to distribute Merit points to the lower ranking members.

However, the current market situation has already accomplished point one. We see alot less spam accounts, even regular account holders have left the crypto scene due to the current unfavorable market condition. Those who left includes, and not limited to, Jr members, Members, full members, Heros, and even Legendary Accounts which I saw many were selling at marketplace.

Secondly, Merit system does promotes and rewards those who posted quality stuff. But the argument here isn't about the merits of this Merit system. But rather, who should be allow to "rank-up" base on their Merit points.

Lastly, the third point seems like "re-inventing the wheel" to me. The account holder's rank should suffice to be their credential. Isn't it?

Given the current market sentiments, many BCT members already left and may never come back. And that also includes the Merit source holders, this resulted in less and less Merit points going around. More and more demoralized members whom may never see the light in the "Rank-Up" tunnel. With this vicious cycle, end of BCT's prestigious and glorified days as number 1 go-to forum in crypto world, may also come to pass.

In summary, throughout the history of man-kind, rulers and governments came out with new rulings and laws, but sometimes when these rules become dated and redundant, they were abolished. It is my humble opinion that Ranking up in BCT should simply be based on the number of years the account was created, plus the activity of the said account.

Nothing beats the test of time. Friendship, Love, Loyalty, etc are all subjected to the test. Because Time is the most unbiased and fair tester. Seasons change, people change, and even hairstyles changes..  But yet for those of us who remain in this forum, year after year, BTC crashes after crashes, we're still here, so that means something.

To repeat myself again, this Merit system is dated, redundant (based on the 3 points above) and defeat all its usefulness and purposes.

Kindly consider abolish the Merit system, please.

Thank you.


 

[Juggy777]

Would it be possible to add another criteria to the ranking-up system?
If feel that I will be stuck as a Full Member forever.  

The element of time would also help in the ranking system while preventing spam accounts.

From Newbie to Jr Member: 6 months + required activity
From Member to Full Member: 1-year old account + required activity
Full Member to Sr. Member: 2-year old account + required activity
Sr. Member to Hero: 3-year old account + required activity
Hero to Legendary: 4-year old account + required activity

Basically, there will be 2 paths on how an account can rank up:
1. Time and activity
2. Merit system

I hope this suggestion will be considered by the mods. Thank you!  

No this won't be possible what you're asking for is a reversal of all the good things that merit system has done till date, for all your efforts in coming up with this post you just copied the old bitcointalk ranking system what's new in your proposal?.

Again you're wrong you won't be stuck forever, if you make constructive and helpful posts people shall leave you merits, but if you make suggestions like this forget getting merits or ranking up. I would advise you to improve your post quality, make informative and quality posts and the merits will come.

[Coinifyx]

Would it be possible to add another criteria to the ranking-up system?
If feel that I will be stuck as a Full Member forever.  

The element of time would also help in the ranking system while preventing spam accounts.

From Newbie to Jr Member: 6 months + required activity
From Member to Full Member: 1-year old account + required activity
Full Member to Sr. Member: 2-year old account + required activity
Sr. Member to Hero: 3-year old account + required activity
Hero to Legendary: 4-year old account + required activity

Basically, there will be 2 paths on how an account can rank up:
1. Time and activity
2. Merit system

I hope this suggestion will be considered by the mods. Thank you!  

No this won't be possible what you're asking for is a reversal of all the good things that merit system has done till date, for all your efforts in coming up with this post you just copied the old bitcointalk ranking system what's new in your proposal?.

Again you're wrong you won't be stuck forever, if you make constructive and helpful posts people shall leave you merits, but if you make suggestions like this forget getting merits or ranking up. I would advise you to improve your post quality, make informative and quality posts and the merits will come.

People are just buying merits from the marketplace, they use alt-accounts to sell them or sell their accounts directly

People will get what they want in a way or another, if you ban drugs you only open a dark market

[asche]

People are just buying merits from the marketplace, they use alt-accounts to sell them or sell their accounts directly

People will get what they want in a way or another, if you ban drugs you only open a dark market

So just don't make any rule?
Because any rule can be broken?

Nice idea.

[Coinifyx]

People are just buying merits from the marketplace, they use alt-accounts to sell them or sell their accounts directly

People will get what they want in a way or another, if you ban drugs you only open a dark market

So just don't make any rule?
Because any rule can be broken?

Nice idea.

You don't ban knives because people can use it to kill each other

[asche]

People are just buying merits from the marketplace, they use alt-accounts to sell them or sell their accounts directly

People will get what they want in a way or another, if you ban drugs you only open a dark market

So just don't make any rule?
Because any rule can be broken?

Nice idea.

You don't ban knives because people can use it to kill each other

What's your point? Because from where I stand you just gave an argument against what you were saying in the first time

[Coinifyx]

People are just buying merits from the marketplace, they use alt-accounts to sell them or sell their accounts directly

People will get what they want in a way or another, if you ban drugs you only open a dark market

So just don't make any rule?
Because any rule can be broken?

Nice idea.

You don't ban knives because people can use it to kill each other

What's your point? Because from where I stand you just gave an argument against what you were saying in the first time

If you ban knives they will get guns from the dark market, thus, if you make ranking hard or impossible, people will just buy accounts or merits

Indeed the only ones who profited from what admin did were accounts farmers, they received free merits and can now sell overpriced accounts

[asche]

If you ban knives they will get guns from the dark market, thus, if you make ranking hard or impossible, people will just buy accounts or merits

Indeed the only ones who profited from what admin did were accounts farmers, they received free merits and can now sell overpriced accounts

Doing so also makes the amount of people doing so smaller.

Not everyone has money to spend on this.

You can never control everything. The idea is to limit it as much as possible. And this is working pretty well.
Also most account selling occurs on forum and account is tagged which greatly reduces what you can do with it afterwards.

[mOgliE]

At least I'm glad to see sMerits are being put in good use by the few people who send them ! 
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;u=3

It's been only 8 years since his/her/their last activity!

,

People paying respect to Satoshi is not wasting of merit. Keep in mind that theymos can generate infinite amount of smerit.

It's... A bit strange though...

Am I the only one using merit a bit like a curation system?
I mean there is no "top merited posts" section or whatever but in my opinion the use for merit is to put the focus on important messages that might have been missed while they're providing interesting and sensible informations. And I got the feeling people use it more like a "like" button.

[asche]

I mean there is no "top merited posts" section or whatever but in my opinion the use for merit is to put the focus on important messages that might have been missed while they're providing interesting and sensible informations. And I got the feeling people use it more like a "like" button.

There is.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;stats

Scary that you as a legendary aren't aware of it.
Maybe you didn't search?

[Hivalley]

If you ban knives they will get guns from the dark market, thus, if you make ranking hard or impossible, people will just buy accounts or merits

In one way or the other you may be correct,and it's also fact that one single merit isn't so hard to get,whether it's legitimately or otherwise..
But what the system does is to constraint the number of accounts one can farm up either for self use or for sale,definitely we're not striving for perfection,but to make the situation less worse than it was
And those who sell accounts also run a risk of being red tagged..
Either way the system is doing it's best to keep the forum clean

[xha-256]

Scary that you as a legendary aren't aware of it.
Maybe you didn't search?

Maybe he doesn't have a legendary account at all? Oops, maybe he's just not aware of it...

[RivAngE]

It's... A bit strange though...

Am I the only one using merit a bit like a curation system?
I mean there is no "top merited posts" section or whatever but in my opinion the use for merit is to put the focus on important messages that might have been missed while they're providing interesting and sensible informations. And I got the feeling people use it more like a "like" button.

Merit system is a perfect system which is used to reward only the most sophisticated and honour-worthy, long and informative posts.
 To be given 5 merits is a great privilege.
 To be given 10 merits is an honour which marks the rest of your life.
 To be given 50, you're a transcendent being (or Satoshi Nakamoto) and your posts cause ecstasy to the readers!

A perfect example of a god-like post with 50 merits: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2375142.msg24228465#msg24228465

[mOgliE]

Merit system is a perfect system which is used to reward only the most sophisticated and honour-worthy, long and informative posts.
 To be given 5 merits is a great privilege.
 To be given 10 merits is an honour which marks the rest of your life.
 To be given 50, you're a transcendent being (or Satoshi Nakamoto) and your posts cause ecstasy to the readers!

A perfect example of a god-like post with 50 merits: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2375142.msg24228465#msg24228465

Ahahahahah xD

Well here it IS rather obvious ineed.

I mean there is no "top merited posts" section or whatever but in my opinion the use for merit is to put the focus on important messages that might have been missed while they're providing interesting and sensible informations. And I got the feeling people use it more like a "like" button.

There is.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;stats

Scary that you as a legendary aren't aware of it.
Maybe you didn't search?

Scary as the fact that I'm a legendary just means I'm an old member of the forum not that I'm an omniscient being 

[d5000]

You wrote some valid points in your post. However, some of them can be solved in another way.

However, the current market situation has already accomplished point one. We see alot less spam accounts, even regular account holders have left the crypto scene due to the current unfavorable market condition.

You're of course right, but IMO this was caused not only by market conditions but also by the Merit system. A big part of the spam accounts that left could return if it was "abolished" right away. The spam problem is far from being "solved". There is still lots of signature spamming around.

If the forum was totally (or nearly-free) of spam and full of quality posts again, like ~2012 or so, then I would support your idea to abolish merit - but including a "probation period", if the spam returns then merit should also return.

But rather, who should be allow to "rank-up" base on their Merit points.

Hm? There is no selection other than merit and activity. If you post quality stuff and are active, you will rank up.

Lastly, the third point seems like "re-inventing the wheel" to me. The account holder's rank should suffice to be their credential. Isn't it?

Having created an account a year ago and posted with an automated script once per day would be enough to get at least Sr (if not Hero) status if merit was abolished. So "rank" alone doesn't have any meaning.

Given the current market sentiments, many BCT members already left and may never come back. And that also includes the Merit source holders, this resulted in less and less Merit points going around.

That is easily solvable - the administration should control the "spending" of merit sources and stock up (create more sources and expand the sMerits of existing sources) if the effective numbers of merits spent by sources diminishes.

[Agarthian]

Thats very interesting... I guess the most important question is.. How do we get merit if no one gives it to us ?

[TryNinja]

Thats very interesting... I guess the most important question is.. How do we get merit if no one gives it to us ?

You don't. That's why you have to make HQ posts. This way, people will gladly give you a few merits as an incentive for you to keep posting good stuff.

If you can't get any by posting normally, you probably don't deserve them.