The Merit System is a huge success and now it's time for demerits.

[Juggy777]

On the onset I would like to say when Theymos initiated the merits system, like others I was completely baffled by it's structure and it's working.

It took me quite a while to figure out, how and where best to put this system to it's best use.

In my quest to get the maximum out of this new uncharted system, I started a review thread thereby dolling out merits to deserving posts, and with each merit I made sure I left a short but consise review where the person getting the merit could improve.

All of them promised to work harder and improve, post helpful and constructive posts. At this point I must say, I strongly feel, the post quality has improved vastly out here.

I feel this system is a huge hit and now it's time to up the ante.

Demerits the need of the hour:

Pre and Post this system in place shit posts existed, people post a different title type something else in thread, one words, completely off topic and so on. It's annoying that these threads always are resurfacing, as we the elite members feel the need to tell them it's a shit post, and like the heard mentality many repeat it.

I feel with demerits in place, all one will need to do is leave a demerit on the post and that's it, like the heard mentality I referred above people will skip the topic. These useless topics shall die a quick death, and people will realise that posting shit on this forum is dangerous.

[krishnaverma]

Demerits the need of the hour:

Pre and Post this system in place shit posts existed, people post a different title type something else in thread, one words, completely off topic and so on. It's annoying that these threads always are resurfacing, as we the elite members feel the need to tell them it's a shit post, and like the heard mentality many repeat it.

I feel with demerits in place, all one will need to do is leave a demerit on the post and that's it, like the heard mentality I referred above people will skip the topic. These useless topics shall die a quick death, and people will realise that posting shit on this forum is dangerous.

I am not in favor of demerits because:

1) It will result in more clashes between the members.

2) There might be situations like a member giving demerit to another member just to make sure he is not able to participate in a bounty or so.

3) When a member gets demerit from another member, he may return the favor.

4) Finally, it is already hard for members to rank up. Especially for higher rank members, demerits will make it almost impossible.

[squatter]

No thanks. I'll probably leave the forum if demerits are introduced. Theymos can't keep piling centralized power on social authorities and expect it not to be abused. The Default Trust system seems plagued by subjectivity, petty infighting and financial conflicts of interest. Giving some members the power to demerit users they dislike or disagree with into lower ranks will expand that bullshit into new territory. Giving all members that power will turn the forum into a shittier functioning version of Reddit. Bad news either way.

If I thought merit was primarily concerned with post quality, I might have a different opinion. But I don't, and I haven't seen much evidence to the contrary.

I feel with demerits in place, all one will need to do is leave a demerit on the post and that's it, like the heard mentality I referred above people will skip the topic. These useless topics shall die a quick death, and people will realise that posting shit on this forum is dangerous.

You're basically describing Reddit. The "herd mentality" you speak of sounds like groupthink, which should be discouraged. One of the appeals of old school message boards like Bitcointalk is that they aren't dominated by social media groupthink bullshit.

[SFR10]

Agreed to what "krishnaverma" posted (regarding #1,2 and 3) but I also support the implementation of a demerit system (as long as it's given to moderators and staff [only]).

4) Finally, it is already hard for members to rank up. Especially for higher rank members, demerits will make it almost impossible.

That would depend on if certain users post worthless content (normal or high quality posters won't/shouldn't be affected by this).
On a side note: Regarding the title "The Merit System is a huge success", I think it's too early to judge a system that was introduced recently (less than a month).

[Foxpup]

Lately I've been reporting over 20 shitposts per day on average. Sometimes I report that many before breakfast. Are there even going to be enough demerit points to go around?

[Lauda]

Unless you can explain in-depth on how demeriting out of spite and whatnot would be prevented, you can safely move this thread to the trash can. Quickscammer and his alts would nullify me in a few days.

[mindrust]

I think the demerit system will be used for malicious purposes. If goes live.

Agreed.

Demerits would be cancerous. If you don't like someone just ignore him/her. If someone was helpful, merit him/her.

Scammers are already getting neg trust ratings from DT members so no need for demerits. People would demerit everybody they are not agreeing with.

[krishnaverma]

Agreed to what "krishnaverma" posted (regarding #1,2 and 3) but I also support the implementation of a demerit system (as long as it's given to moderators and staff [only]).

That is a nice suggestion in my opinion. It will help to tackle most of the shortcomings that I mentioned for demerit system. Giving this privilege to mature people will not result in any clashes.

[JinCrypts]

It's annoying that these threads always are resurfacing, as we the elite members feel the need to tell them it's a shit post, and like the heard mentality many repeat it.

I feel with demerits in place, all one will need to do is leave a demerit on the post and that's it, like the heard mentality I referred above people will skip the topic. These useless topics shall die a quick death, and people will realise that posting shit on this forum is dangerous.

We dont need to implement demit because there is an existing "report to moderator" tool for the shitposters and scammers out there. If you want to really want to inform them that shitposting isn't a good thing to do maybe PM them if you have extra time, but most of us dont give a shit about them and they should be reported immediately.

Like this dude

Lately I've been reporting over 20 shitposts per day on average.

3) When a member gets demerit from another member, he may return the favor.
4) Finally, it is already hard for members to rank up. Especially for higher rank members, demerits will make it almost impossible.

This 3 and 4 are on point! example if somebody demerit you, you'll feel angry or what so ever that may result of revenge and giving demerit back to the one who gives you.

[TheUltraElite]

If there is a demerit system then all I can see is that this forum will become the next battlegrounds between alt accounts and their competetions trying to merit and demrit each other - trying to get into this "Merit Wars".

It will only help "collusions" get the better of it and turn this place into a endless void for people who are "actually" trying to help the community by giving them demerits on every post. Even if this is abuse if its from alt accounts then it wont be detected so easily.

I again reiterate the same fact which I repeated in 2 posts before this in this same section known as "meta" - merit system has been created to merit the quality contributions to the forum and not for people who simply agree (or disagree for demerits) to each other.

Quickscumbag is coming here in 3...2...1

[alia]

The trust system is more than enough. Demeriting would only bring about negativity, and it's possible that users will be wrongfully ganged-up on (and they'll needlessly lose all their hard earned merit points)

[maeusi]

If you want demerit, then I would add the feature, that demeriter gets the merits from those, who he demerited. 
In serious, if that success is so "huge", why do you want to change the merit system?

[madwica]

Merit system brings good impact in the forum it makes more competetive but i do not think demerit will be fit in this forum yet it will helps to ruin this great crypto forum. Merit is enough to lessen those shit poster and spammer they will be stack of what they rank right now also some of them will learn how to post more relevant, on topic and constructive post that may able to get positive or merit to their account.

[krishnaverma]

The trust system is more than enough. Demeriting would only bring about negativity, and it's possible that users will be wrongfully ganged-up on (and they'll needlessly lose all their hard earned merit points)

Someone gave a suggestion above for that it should be given only to staff. That can be a good implementation. However, if I was the one making the decion, I would not complicate this so much. This will shift the focus more on merits and scammers will start looking for ways to cheat even more.

[zenrol28]

I feel with demerits in place, all one will need to do is leave a demerit on the post and that's it, like the heard mentality I referred above people will skip the topic. These useless topics shall die a quick death, and people will realise that posting shit on this forum is dangerous.

That kind of demerit is good, this will make easier to find good topics to read and discuss with other members. But, if this demerit will take out your merit points, it will be a great responsibility that not everyone should have the power to give this kind of demerit.

[d5000]

I don't support "demeriting" because of the reasons already mentioned by @krishnaverma and @squatter. But I want to raise also a practical question:

If "demerit" was implemented, who should be allowed to demerit, and how often?

As merits are scarce (and that's one of the main reasons merit was introduced), there should be also "scarcity" of demerits, because otherwise the average merit score would become negative. But how could this be achieved? A system where you only could demerit someone when you already got demerits would be a bit crazy, of course

The only possible way I see is to have to use a sMerit to be able to demerit someone. That would limit "demeriting" to people that have already received merits and higher-ranked members.

But even with this restriction, demeriting would make it much harder to rank up to anyone, particularly persons that have strong opinions - for example, those engaged heavily in the small/big blocker debate. It would be an incentive to not write nothing controversial. The forum would become a flat, emotionless place where everything seems to be peace & love - but sometimes it's not so easy, sometimes hard discussions must be fought out. (Facebook & Twitter would be happy, of course.)

And I also see the problem Lauda mentioned: "Spam fighters" could be demerited to zero very fast, even with a "demerit restriction".

As already was mentioned: If somebody is shitposting or spamming, report it or - in case of reiterated offenders - give them red trust. This proposal (showing the public if a post was already reported by someone) could be an improvement that could replace "demeriting" completely.

[Jet Cash]

Demerits would be a disaster. It would give the shitposters a tool to drive away the good posters, and it would let them dominate the boards.

[al1n]

So you want to offer both sugar and whip to everyone. Do you realize what it is going to happen? The mankind is not yet so evolved to not abuse any system possible. Give a man a weapon, 75% will use it to do harm with it just because they can (for revenge, for personal gain or simply cruelty).

Merit system is far from being perfect, or even being a success as you said. There are plenty of problems with it. But at least nobody can use it to harm others.
Maybe you have much more faith in people that they will use demerit correctly, but I don't. And I believe I'm not the only one.
Flower power times are long gone, and even then it wasn't all pink.

[Lakai01]

Keep the merrit system as it is: a tool to honor poster who try write helpful posts.
The ability to demerrit accounts would be desastrous in my opinion. No one would ever try to argue with anyone again, simply due to the fact, the other poster could be pissed and demerries you.

Gaining merrits is hard enough for us "newbies", don't bring in a system which is capable of destroying the forum as a place where someone can express his/her opinion without having to fear of punishment.

[sofi@]

Merit system is enough for people to change the way they treat this forum, it is already an eye opener for those who thinks that just by making a post consisting of required characters can help them earn in an instant. I think demerit system is too much, as we can see, people are striving hard to meet the required quality post and hoping to please the readers for them to earn merit, so let us not put too much in this system.