Merit "trading" - buying and selling Bitcointalk merit

[Tungsten-1]

Awesome, just saw it as well. Thanks for the help and explanation guys, much appreciated!

This is not the place to learn about merits, if you want to learn more about you must check the Theymos's official announcement on meta section. It will give a more clear explanation about the merit system and new rank requirements.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2818350.0

All the best to rank up soon

Yeah this is good you have given wise things for us, it is not a good idea to buy merit because here we work only to get money for working fairly I think participation in such things should be banned, low quality and useless posts were being so unbearable and appalling, so it is all about poster we should take good way to rise our rank and work with our potential and knowledge.

[Lordhermes]

From recent findings and constant readings, I was told that trading/exchanging bitcointalk merit for BTC and  traditional currency is fully prohibited here. Actually, merit shows how maturity account is which everybody wants to attain,but doesn't mean members should violate the merit rules and regulations of the forum.

[Indamuck]

Hi guys,
I agree that it would be much more spammy here without a system like merit, and that trading merit per se is not something good. I'm currently looking forward to become a Junior Member and just wonder how often it happens that someone actually gives merit to someone else? Is that only done for exceptionally good posts? Not looking into detailed stats, just wondering what my chances are.

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

[bitbunnny]

Hi guys,
I agree that it would be much more spammy here without a system like merit, and that trading merit per se is not something good. I'm currently looking forward to become a Junior Member and just wonder how often it happens that someone actually gives merit to someone else? Is that only done for exceptionally good posts? Not looking into detailed stats, just wondering what my chances are.

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

I completely agree. I can't see any improvement of merit system. Unfortunately people have found the way to abuse merits and it's obviously there are many who are trading it. I.don't want to say that merit is a bad concept, just that is poor executed and often abused by dishonest users who have made business out of it a kind of keep monopole on it. This should be changed.

[Lanatsa]

Hi guys,
I agree that it would be much more spammy here without a system like merit, and that trading merit per se is not something good. I'm currently looking forward to become a Junior Member and just wonder how often it happens that someone actually gives merit to someone else? Is that only done for exceptionally good posts? Not looking into detailed stats, just wondering what my chances are.

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

I completely agree. I can't see any improvement of merit system. Unfortunately people have found the way to abuse merits and it's obviously there are many who are trading it. I.don't want to say that merit is a bad concept, just that is poor executed and often abused by dishonest users who have made business out of it a kind of keep monopole on it. This should be changed.

It isn't poorly executed but rather theymos do create a system which do really somehow completely stop of account selling on this forum.Take a look back when
merit system isn't implemented yet, we can see how rampant is account selling on this forum and with the new system it do completely slows down or cut it of by 75%
because you cant rank up easily without earning any merits.

[Sihab76]

If any one tries to farming accounts and tries to sell or buying merits, and any way he caught by forum moderators, then he must get negative feedback.

[qwertyup23]

While this was introduced to increase post quality it has of course created a counter movement and a market place for "trading" merit - for money.
So this is just a reminder for everyone that the introduction of merit is a GOOD thing because it will help improve the quality of this forum for everybody.

"Trading" merit will undermine this and render it eventually useless.

At first, I was against the implementation of the merit-system as being counter-productive. Most quality posts are being overshadowed and buried under the pile of spams and shitposters in a current forum section. But as time eventually took the wheel, the merit system proved itself to be the cross that mostly prevented a number of spammers and hackers from abusing the old system.

Making alt accounts and farming them were the problems before and they have been addressed with this implementation. Of course, there can never be a perfect system wherein everyone can benefit as the implication of the merits also made it difficult for quality posters to have the spotlight of being the deserved ones to rank-up. Overall, I could say that it was indeed a success but we have to embrace all the consequences it follows.

[Yaunfitda]

If any one tries to farming accounts and tries to sell or buying merits, and any way he caught by forum moderators, then he must get negative feedback.

Lol, you trolling yourself?  . Or this is still part of the prank this April Fools?

You exactly get your negative feedback from farming and abusing bounties. 

I'm sure that you learn your lessons very well. The merit system really did what it's supposed to do, get rid of shitposters around and even catching merit farming and some of them have been tagged as usual.

[Taki]

Since merit system appeared I've got only 14 merits. I wander, am I do bad commentator or there are a lot of people who trade merits behind the back?

[slaman29]

Since merit system appeared I've got only 14 merits. I wander, am I do bad commentator or there are a lot of people who trade merits behind the back?

I've not done much better than you, but I know that from what I can observe, the best places for merit for me, which you will get from moderators and even staff, is if you help Bitcoin users with issues using Bitcoin, or answering technical questions about Bitcoin, or discussing technical issues in constructive manner.

I admit, I don't have the technical knowledge for these things, so I don't expect to gain very much merit. I'm sure it's the same for most people. So if merits are super important to you, you need to brush up technical knowledge.

In that sense, I think it's a great system. Even I know now who are the guys who know a lot and those who don't, just from merits.

This is of course generic. I know some people also gain merits from being contributive in other areas like even gambling.

[Ridwan Fauzi]

Since merit system appeared I've got only 14 merits. I wander, am I do bad commentator or there are a lot of people who trade merits behind the back?

For those people who cheat this forum rule against smerit will have two possibilities i.e trade merit which also I haven't known how smerit being traded, I meant what is the price that must be spend by some users to buy one merit and second I believe there many users who give smerit to their alt account to push rank up, I often see there are many users who give smerit just for bounty report that I think it's nonsense.

[Taki]

I've not done much better than you, but I know that from what I can observe, the best places for merit for me, which you will get from moderators and even staff, is if you help Bitcoin users with issues using Bitcoin, or answering technical questions about Bitcoin, or discussing technical issues in constructive manner.

I admit, I don't have the technical knowledge for these things, so I don't expect to gain very much merit. I'm sure it's the same for most people. So if merits are super important to you, you need to brush up technical knowledge.

In that sense, I think it's a great system. Even I know now who are the guys who know a lot and those who don't, just from merits.

This is of course generic. I know some people also gain merits from being contributive in other areas like even gambling.

I also do not have any technical knowledges and experience with many wallet's and exchangers to be super helpful to users who have this kind of problems. But I saw my own how stupid comments or sarcastic ones gain merits easily.

For those people who cheat this forum rule against smerit will have two possibilities i.e trade merit which also I haven't known how smerit being traded, I meant what is the price that must be spend by some users to buy one merit and second I believe there many users who give smerit to their alt account to push rank up, I often see there are many users who give smerit just for bounty report that I think it's nonsense.

I can an idea of how merit trading is happening. People simply make a deal on local boards, through PMs or connect each other on social networks.

[gentlemand]

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

It's a long way from perfect but I think it's definitely working in preventing the real zombies from ranking up. I don't need to refer to someone's stats to guess at their merit count now. I know it'll be piffling or overflowing by the shit or genius they write.

It doesn't stop spam but it might deter enough to make a difference.

It's been a long time since it was implemented and most of those who were airdropped it will have spent it by now. What's left is merit earned.

I agree that it's far too heavily given out in certain sections and alts could do with more attention, but the people who earn the most merit don't want to go into the alt section. There should be more merit sources who hang out in alts.

[Hamphser]

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

It's a long way from perfect but I think it's definitely working in preventing the real zombies from ranking up. I don't need to refer to someone's stats to guess at their merit count now. I know it'll be piffling or overflowing by the shit or genius they write.

It doesn't stop spam but it might deter enough to make a difference.

It's been a long time since it was implemented and most of those who were airdropped it will have spent it by now. What's left is merit earned.

I agree that it's far too heavily given out in certain sections and alts could do with more attention, but the people who earn the most merit don't want to go into the alt section. There should be more merit sources who hang out in alts.

Most merits on where members do earn is on Meta, Reputation, Scam accusations board basing on my own observation but not all people do really come to that place and
there are lots of post which haven't recognized which is really meritable.This system isn't really perfect but I do much prefer yet this do prevent account sales because you wont able
to rank up if you haven't reached certain required merit.

[gentlemand]

Most merits on where members do earn is on Meta, Reputation, Scam accusations board basing on my own observation but not all people do really come to that place and
there are lots of post which haven't recognized which is really meritable.This system isn't really perfect but I do much prefer yet this do prevent account sales because you wont able
to rank up if you haven't reached certain required merit.

The wall observer thread is the real merit mine. And plenty of the time it's kind of hard to say the posts that get rained on have a great deal of actual merit. It's just what the mainstays have gotten used to and they tend to have become a closed loop. No harm's being done but it is kind of odd to observe.

[Best Dreams]

Since merit system appeared I've got only 14 merits. I wander, am I do bad commentator or there are a lot of people who trade merits behind the back?

I think it is much better to have your own merit and work hard than taking some other people merit and do this illegal act, it is not good we will have to work and make worthy profit by posting good stuff in market and follow your knowledge, buying merit is not good at it is almost same as cheating and deceiving.

[cryptovigi]

Most merits on where members do earn is on Meta, Reputation, Scam accusations board basing on my own observation but not all people do really come to that place and
there are lots of post which haven't recognized which is really meritable.This system isn't really perfect but I do much prefer yet this do prevent account sales because you wont able
to rank up if you haven't reached certain required merit.

Of course - Meta section is one of the most generously distributing merit, but in others scections you can get a lot of merits as well. The sections you mentioned were Meta - 10.81% and Reputation and Scam Accusations both are in the Trading Discussions sub-pool which collected 3.83% of merits. So, together, it is only less than 16%, so more than 84% of merits go elsewhere.
Particular attention should be paid to the local sections, which are often also good places to get merits. Currently, we have over 120 merit sources and I think that receiving a merit is not a very difficult task - I can be an example of this;).

...
I agree that it's far too heavily given out in certain sections and alts could do with more attention, but the people who earn the most merit don't want to go into the alt section. There should be more merit sources who hang out in alts.
..

I can't agree with you - a lot of merit went to the altcoin section - for example

number   of merits	% of all merits given away	Subboard
35020	9,99%	Announcements (Altcoins)
14332	4,09%	Altcoin Discussion
6091	1,74%	Mining (Altcoins)
3410	0,97%	Speculation (Altcoins)

[eaLiTy]

If any one tries to farming accounts and tries to sell or buying merits, and any way he caught by forum moderators, then he must get negative feedback.

Rightly said and hopefully is that not the reason you got painted in your account by other members?  . If you try to trick the system you will end up being caught by members who are spending their free time looking to improve the forum, you can understand if you are misusing anything if you carefully monitor your merit history and posting patterns.

[bitzizzix]

Hi guys,
I agree that it would be much more spammy here without a system like merit, and that trading merit per se is not something good. I'm currently looking forward to become a Junior Member and just wonder how often it happens that someone actually gives merit to someone else? Is that only done for exceptionally good posts? Not looking into detailed stats, just wondering what my chances are.

Its just as bad as before and it may have even gotten worse.  Merit did nothing to counter spam, it just encourages more shady behavior because now people have some type of black market currency they can also trade.  I wish we had the old system back because I believe the merit system is truly broken.  I see many great posters go un merited and it just seems wildly unfair.

I completely agree. I can't see any improvement of merit system. Unfortunately people have found the way to abuse merits and it's obviously there are many who are trading it. I.don't want to say that merit is a bad concept, just that is poor executed and often abused by dishonest users who have made business out of it a kind of keep monopole on it. This should be changed.

I agree with you, and the misuse of Merit has made the Merit system no longer effective and the incident has been long.
and what I see is that there are a number of posts that I think are not eligible but get Merit and people will try various ways to get it just to improve rankings without being on the right track, I personally don't really expect Merit and who most importantly I work well and make good posts and obey the rules that have been determined and that is enough for me and without me realizing Merit will come by itself.

[Freny250]

From the start merit is not supposed to be sold for money.  The main aim for merit is to reward and appreciate good and quality post and not for trade purpose