Merit - one week later

[tokeweed]

I know it's a bit quick to draw any conclusions. However, in the altcoin section where I reside the most, next to no merit is being given or recieved. Is it the same picture in other sections? And if so, how do we raise more awareness about it?

That's because most posts made over there are all trash.  Where are the trolls of old?  At least those guys were trying to make a real debate about important matters in crypto.  These days it's all just mindless posts from 6th graders.  Some of them don't even speak (or type) English well.

[nc50lc]

There are tons of unsorted threads and posts in the Altcoin Section, as a regular member, it's a waste of time just to find a quality post there.
[r] What we need are Merit Sources that are designated to grant merits to those boards (one who can withstand reading shitposts).

People will read topics in the boards and threads that they have interest, chances that any constructive or helpful reply that was posted in an uninteresting thread to receive a merit is low because most of the replies there are most likely posted by non-readers.
Members with sMerits will have to read a bunch of nonsense just to find a good post. [repeat r]

Meanwhile, In the Meta Board:

Before Merit:

• [SMAS] Signature Managers against Spam (light version)
• Stake your Bitcoin address here
• Hacked my account
• SR. ACCOUNT LOCKED..PLEASE HELP ME
• TIL Activity does not work on precisely 2 week intervals + interval timings
• Forum ranks/positions/badges (What do those shiny coins under my name mean?)

One Week Later:

• Merit broke my life
• Merit - right to consensus
• Members Need to be Better Informed About Merit
• Merit donation thread
• How to get merit points for free!
• Merit!!!
• Can someone explain why this post is worth 96 merits
• 'Merit' System is a SLAP to the term 'Decentralisation'

[Godwans]

There are tons of unsorted threads and posts in the Altcoin Section, as a regular member, it's a waste of time just to find a quality post there.
[r] What we need are Merit Sources that are designated to grant merits to those boards (one who can withstand reading shitposts).

People will read topics in the boards and threads that they have interest, chances that any constructive or helpful reply that was posted in an uninteresting thread to receive a merit is low because most of the replies there are most likely posted by non-readers.
Members with sMerits will have to read a bunch of nonsense just to find a good post. [repeat r]

Meanwhile, In the Meta Board:

Before Merit:

• [SMAS] Signature Managers against Spam (light version)
• Stake your Bitcoin address here
• Hacked my account
• SR. ACCOUNT LOCKED..PLEASE HELP ME
• TIL Activity does not work on precisely 2 week intervals + interval timings
• Forum ranks/positions/badges (What do those shiny coins under my name mean?)

One Week Later:

• Merit broke my life
• Merit - right to consensus
• Members Need to be Better Informed About Merit
• Merit donation thread
• How to get merit points for free!
• Merit!!!
• Can someone explain why this post is worth 96 merits
• 'Merit' System is a SLAP to the term 'Decentralisation'

Yeah, i mentioned somewhere else about the fact that merit has actually done the exact reverse of what it was supposed to do.(It has created more spam). And all 'Quality' posts have been shoved from the top spots...go figure..

[jimmywh]

I know it's a bit quick to draw any conclusions. However, in the altcoin section where I reside the most, next to no merit is being given or recieved. Is it the same picture in other sections? And if so, how do we raise more awareness about it?

That's because most posts made over there are all trash.  Where are the trolls of old?  At least those guys were trying to make a real debate about important matters in crypto.  These days it's all just mindless posts from 6th graders.  Some of them don't even speak (or type) English well.

I think most people, especially the ones who have been around for some time, pretty much agree that the altcoin section has turned from bad to shit. However, what we cannot ignore is that cryptocurrencies solving real life problems are altcoins. Cryptocurrencies going mainstream and thereby increasing the value of all our investments, will be projects solving real life problems. Decentralization is awesome, but it does not solve poverty nor any other life threatening problems. It is just more... handy.. to keep your privacy, and to move the power from banks to the individual.
Altcoins have a 65% market domination in terms of value, and this number is likely to get even bigger. The altcoin section on BTC needs to reflect this truth. It doesn't by someone (not you) suggesting to go to another subforum for merits. The action needs to happen where it's relevant.

[Cryptoshops]

Once the hundreds of thousands of shitposters finally leave the forum, it will be so much easier to identify and award a good post - won't be digging through as much garbage.

I doubt that will ever stop. When a forum gets to the size this one is,  it becomes almost impossible to stop people from shitposting unless there is heavy moderation and posts do not go live until they have been reviewed by an admin.  I have seen so many useless posts even from hero members on this forum all because they are trying to get the post count up for thier sig campaigns  Yep I know I will be hated on for saying this but  sadly its the truth.

[cr$pto]

I think current Merit implementation is not ideal, it doesn't solve the main problem - unquality posts, people can still write tons of non relevant posts.

May be admins could consider changing a logic of Merit points tuning them to kind of Karma points (or whatever you can call it).

The main idea you can give/recieve both negative and positive points.

Ability to make new post would depend on these Karma points. For writing a shit post user could recieve a negative Karma, that would influence the frequency of submiting a new post. For good post there could be given a positive Karma thus raising the possible post number/frequency. That would stop shit posting very effectively as you simple can't post for example more than once a day with negative Karma.

Every user would be given by a system once a week X number of Karma points, thus even if you have slightly negative balance over the time you can still post.

[jimmywh]

I think current Merit implementation is not ideal, it doesn't solve the main problem - unquality posts, people can still write tons of non relevant posts.

May be admins could consider changing a logic of Merit points tuning them to kind of Karma points (or whatever you can call it).

The main idea you can give/recieve both negative and positive points.

Ability to make new post would depend on these Karma points. For writing a shit post user could recieve a negative Karma, that would influence the frequency of submiting a new post. For good post there could be given a positive Karma thus raising the possible post number/frequency. That would stop shit posting very effectively as you simple can't post for example more than once a day with negative Karma.

Every user would be given by a system once a week X number of Karma points, thus even if you have slightly negative balance over the time you can still post.

And exactly how would you avoid people giving bad karma just because they disagree with something? Karma would be an even bigger popularity contest than merit. However, I do agree that the system as it is now is not ideal.

[gilangIDR]

I know it's a bit quick to draw any conclusions. However, in the altcoin section where I reside the most, next to no merit is being given or recieved. Is it the same picture in other sections? And if so, how do we raise more awareness about it?

I think we are all still in the development stage, so everything that exists today is still very possible to change. For me the merit system has provided a significant change, now we can see a much better forum and the spammers have been reduced so it is clearly visible benefits. Without reducing the sense of trust then I am optimistic that the future merit system can give a much better impact.

[loengrinm]

I know it's a bit quick to draw any conclusions. However, in the altcoin section where I reside the most, next to no merit is being given or recieved. Is it the same picture in other sections? And if so, how do we raise more awareness about it?

Simple suggestion for you. For now, post in sections which are getting most merits. We will see this being distributed evenly in all sections with time.

[Bonakid]

Everyone surprise about the merit system,they implement it to each member to improved their post in the forum.To avoid spammers and shitposting that the member only want to earn and dont care about how they can help in bitcointalk.Merit system encourage me to learn more and study to make a constructive and ideal post.

[loengrinm]

One Week Later:

• Merit broke my life
• Merit - right to consensus
• Members Need to be Better Informed About Merit
• Merit donation thread
• How to get merit points for free!
• Merit!!!
• Can someone explain why this post is worth 96 merits
• 'Merit' System is a SLAP to the term 'Decentralisation'

You forgot some more threads:

1) Why merit is good for this forum

2) Junior member will be benefited most with the merit system

3) Merit is the best thing that happened to the forum

All those posts repeating same thing just for some merits.

[madwica]

Everyone surprise about the merit system,they implement it to each member to improved their post in the forum.To avoid spammers and shitposting that the member only want to earn and dont care about how they can help in bitcointalk.Merit system encourage me to learn more and study to make a constructive and ideal post.

Yes and that is the main purpose of this new merit system to make all members will post more constructive. So far i see the effectiveness of merit it will lessen the shit post and spammers, most of the members are now trying to do their best and put a lot of effort to create quality post.

[ducdr]

Everyone surprise about the merit system,they implement it to each member to improved their post in the forum.To avoid spammers and shitposting that the member only want to earn and dont care about how they can help in bitcointalk.Merit system encourage me to learn more and study to make a constructive and ideal post.

Yes and that is the main purpose of this new merit system to make all members will post more constructive. So far i see the effectiveness of merit it will lessen the shit post and spammers, most of the members are now trying to do their best and put a lot of effort to create quality post.

Exactly! I agree with the idea, but I still worry about long-term impacts of merit system on spammers, shit-posters, etc. By which I mean part of those ones will be ranked up somehow (someone don't have money or don't want to buy merits, they will ranked up be luckily merits received. Of course they will spend much more time to fight with merit system to earn merit points.) After ranking up, what will those ones do next? Turning back to write shitty posts is the largest probability, I guess. Then the forum will be abundant with shot again.

 That's what admin should consider carefully on how to keep merit system's positive effects last as long as possible. Merit system is good and might be god, but it need to adjust over time to keep it's spamming-controled effects

[cr$pto]

My own opinion that Merit system won't solve fundamental problem of too many empty posts. Everyone will continue to post the same number of posts, as signature campaigns remain, the only effect that many won't increase their rank and that is.

The only solution to clean the forum is to make some kind of auto moderation, everyone could give positive/negative points to a post. If post has many negative points it gets auto deleted. The other possibility that users with many negative points can't post for some time (like it is already done for new account till you make at least 30 posts).

Current Merit system makes only ranking growth hard, it won't affect to total number of posts and quality will be more or less the same as soon as everyone will see that Merits are hard to obtain anyways. 

[jpespa]

I think signature campaign will also change its rules somehow to align with the merit system and the campaign manager will become more strict about the posts of each participants so i guess if everyone sticks still into what they have been doing the same all the time it might cost them to lose in participation or even receive negative trust.

Current Merit system makes only ranking growth hard, it won't affect to total number of posts and quality will be more or less the same as soon as everyone will see that Merits are hard to obtain anyways.

Well it's up them anyways whether to get stuck in their place or advance and get more of what they can have. But we cannot be sure if this will happen forever. The admins are doing their job in maintaining this forum and the rules and system are changing now. Maybe sooner or later that kind of behavior would lead such member to their downfall here in forum.

[@rt27]

I have a simple though regarding merit in a friendly approach I could say if you don't like merit then go away.

[jimmywh]

I have a simple though regarding merit in a friendly approach I could say if you don't like merit then go away.

One of the main reasons for introducing merit, was to get rid of posts in broken english. Now, go away please.