Enhanced newbie restrictions & requirements

[tranthidung]

I am not sure, but the following findings maybe partially due to effects of the latest restrictions and tightening requirements on Junior member rank.

During the recent 10 weeks, after the start of new tank requirements on Junior members, the weekly merit per post has been on downwards. The figures of peak is 80% higher than the bottom during the period
Of course, there is not good causal-inferance here due to lack of more potential bias variables that have not included, such as:
- Merit per ranks;
- Posts per ranks;
- Decreases of new bounties;
- And more bias factors.
In addition, it is un-clear, but it seems that merit per post tend to increase each four weeks.
It is too soon to go to conclusion that there is monthly periodic because only 10 weeks followed in the dataset.
We need more weekly data points to have a clearer picture.

I would like to disclose one more thing, merit per post during the last 10 weeks.

My approach:
1) Total weekly merits: Calculated from real data.
2) Total weekly posts (weekposts): Calculated from real data, except the week #2018w37, which is only the assumed median/ mean from the continuous three weeks (2018w35, 2018w36, and 2018w37). I took it from the OP.
3) Merit per post (meritperpost): = round(merit/weekposts,0.001).

Real dataset is here:

Code:

. list, abb(30)

     +-------------------------------------------------+
     |    week   merit   weekposts   id   meritperpost |
     |-------------------------------------------------|
  1. | 2018w37    5630      353813   34           .016 |
  2. | 2018w38    7825      286408   35           .027 |
  3. | 2018w39    4388      280503   36           .016 |
  4. | 2018w40    4271      259694   37           .016 |
  5. | 2018w41    3800      263685   38           .014 |
     |-------------------------------------------------|
  6. | 2018w42    4821      240339   39            .02 |
  7. | 2018w43    3945      240045   40           .016 |
  8. | 2018w44    3339      219689   41           .015 |
  9. | 2018w45    4513      219774   42           .021 |
 10. | 2018w46    1740      215135   43           .008 |
     +-------------------------------------------------+

Results:
Merit per post has fluctuated during the 10-week period, from 0.015 to 0.207 merit per post.
The shocking figure found here is that there is 80-percentage difference between the highest and the lowest compared to the lowest.

Code:

. di (0.027-0.015)*100/0.015
80

The last week (#2018w46) is incomplete one, with only half of the week collected in the dataset.

Here is the plot of the ten-week-period merit per post:

Notes:
It is better if having dataset on different ranks in the forum (for merits, posts), but I unfortunately have not had them so far.

[Coyster]

Reading up on changes to position and gaining rank. Although this affects me negatively l see the merit it what is being introduced and hope spam issues are dealt with. In saying that does seem that with so many altcoin threads, obtaining merit can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Will work on quality and see what happens.

You assessments/comparison as regards merits is quite a funny one, If you actually followed this thread from day1, you'll see even through this topic, some newbies ranked back up,and since then till today,thousands of newbies have all retained their erstwhile Jr member rank, some moved over to member,and few full members,thats just to say,its not quite as difficult as you put it,or as you're trying to portray the merit system

Basically its/it will be difficult for one with no intention whatsoever to contribute to the forum,but is simply here to earn,without giving back,thats actually unfair and should not be so..

Your post history doesn't speak well of your intentions in the forum,try cleaning it up, it's a good way to start up

[TheBunting]

As a new member, I am actually happy that this is the "ranking" system works on this forum. You can't make it too easy for people to make accounts, post complete waffle to get their ranks up so they can use said accounts for bountys etc.

People should be posting on this forum because they are passionate about Bitcoin and have some genuine interest in the topics being discussed here. I am fairly new to posting here so still learning the ropes but I do like some of the topics here and some of the measures people will take to help or answer questions asked.

[TryNinja]

how much comments do I need to have my own signature?

Not comments, but how much activity and merit. Every rank has it's own limitation on the signature.

Read this thread and only after reading everything several times, ask what you didn't get: FAQ: Everything you need to know about forum 'activity, account ranks and merit

[The Sceptical Chymist]

You were lucky! I used to dream of using an abacus! Would've been a luxury to me. I mined bitcoins for three months while living in a lake. I used to have to get up at three in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel for breakfast, go to work at the bitcoin farm for 3 satoshi a month, and mine bitcoin by carving the operations in to my own arm with broken bottle!

Someone give this post a merit for me, eh?  

I'm all out of sMerits, and I'd better be gettin' some source sMerits soon, else I'm really going to start to get cranky.  I don't know what's up with this source supply--it's definitely not enough if I'm having to use up all of those plus all the ones I've earned in a matter of days, and I don't even give individual posts more than 2-3 merits usually.

<snip>

I'd probably give a merit to this post as well.  Maybe I'll check back when I get topped up if I can remember to do so.

[LoyceV]

I'm all out of sMerits, and I'd better be gettin' some source sMerits soon, else I'm really going to start to get cranky.

Prepare to get cranky: Source Merit renews after exactly 30 days. This is your Merit History around a month ago:

Code:

December 08, 2018, 09:40:47 PM: 1 to gentlemand for Re: SEC delays decision on ETF again
December 08, 2018, 08:02:31 PM: 1 to clrpod for Re: Manila Residents to Be Paid in Ether for Cleaning Up Polluted Habitat Area
December 08, 2018, 07:34:31 PM: 2 to timerland for Re: All times are good to enter crypto - Tim Draper
December 08, 2018, 07:29:27 PM: 1 to mazdafunsun for Re: If the stocks market will crash again like 2008, what will happen to bitcoin
December 08, 2018, 06:00:41 PM: 1 to Patatas for VegasCasino.io Shill + Merit Abuser [Updated DT Needed]
December 05, 2018, 04:59:47 PM: 2 to coinlocket$ for Re: Is the Default trust system still working?

That means your first new Source Merit arrives on January 7, 06:00:41 PM forum time. That is assuming you used Source Merit on December 08, 2018, 06:00:41 PM, if it was your own supply it won't be renewed.

In the past week, I merited 50 different posts on 1 day, and finally made a dent in "my own" sMerit stash. This morning I woke up to see my Source Merit trippled doubled. I can only assume theymos keeps taps, this increase came after being a source for 8 months.
Remember the days you didn't even want to be a Merit Source?

[S_Therapist]

In the past week, I merited 50 different posts on 1 day, and finally made a dent in "my own" sMerit stash.

Therefore, I think you have been touched another record like the previous one sending 4 sMerits within 1 second. However, is there any list of people who have sent the most merit within a single day. I mean based on how much time a person sent sMerit within a single day or 24 hours. I know you are the winner. But would love to have the other persons name.

[LoyceV]

Therefore, I think you have been touched another record like the previous one sending 4 sMerits within 1 second.

I did it again today:

Code:

Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to bL4nkcode for Electrum 3.3.2 - Fixed from recent phishing link
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to pooya87 for Re: Electrum 3.3.2 - Fixed from recent phishing link
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to BitCryptex for Re: security window 10 Microsoft have access to my priv. keys.
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 3 to lclc for New open source Bitcoin libraries for BIP32, BIP44, bech32, libbitcoin & BTCPay 

That's the third time, it seems impossible to do it 5 times within a second

However, is there any list of people who have sent the most merit within a single day. I mean based on how much time a person sent sMerit within a single day or 24 hours. I know you are the winner. But would love to have the other persons name.

Right after the Newbie restrictions were implemented, some abusers merited 50+ of their alts. I don't really want to compete with those.

Update: 56 posts Merited today, and far from done

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>

For as long as you remain without earning any merits. You are going to need to receive at least 1 sMerit from another user for a post of yours. You should read through the Merit & new rank requirements thread.

You current posting style and interests are not friends with merits. Merits are meant to be awarded for creating some kind of decent content. Just piling in social reports has no resemblance with that, and thus the intent of merit shines on the dancefloor.

[Bitcoin Smith]

Therefore, I think you have been touched another record like the previous one sending 4 sMerits within 1 second.

I did it again today:

Code:

Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to bL4nkcode for Electrum 3.3.2 - Fixed from recent phishing link
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to pooya87 for Re: Electrum 3.3.2 - Fixed from recent phishing link
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 1 to BitCryptex for Re: security window 10 Microsoft have access to my priv. keys.
Today at 10:25:35 AM: 3 to lclc for New open source Bitcoin libraries for BIP32, BIP44, bech32, libbitcoin & BTCPay 

That's the third time, it seems impossible to do it 5 times within a second

Sending merits to four different post withing a second is not possible when you are a human.

[whynotbit]

What a good system to avoid low quality post.
What a bummer for me who hasn't been active since some time and who wanted to create a new ANN thread for an existing project who doesn't have proper ann. So my goal is to post a high quality content that would reward me with some merit points, but needing to get the merit point beforehand to be able to create my thread.
Which is very similar to the hen and the egg situation, except here it seems I sure have to be a hen in order to create an egg  
Wil have to go and post some good stuff it seems. Bummer
This feature really limits antisocial persons wanting to develop something and interact at minima with others ahaha
Anyway, freedom and decentralization have their limit... scams, fud, low content needs to be moderated in a way.

[TryNinja]

What a bummer for me who hasn't been active since some time and who wanted to create a new ANN thread for an existing project who doesn't have proper ann. So my goal is to post a high quality content that would reward me with some merit points, but needing to get the merit point beforehand to be able to create my thread.

Or you can just buy the Copper Member upgrade. With it, you have the same benefits as a regular Member rank user (e.g posting images).
It was way cheaper a few months ago, but the price increased a bit to reflect Bitcoin's price.

You can read more about it here: Newbies can now pay a small fee to enable images

[LoyceV]

What a bummer for me

Judging by your post history and join date, you're not the type of user the Merit system is supposed to stop from ranking up. You're not a spammer. You can post your project thread (with images) now.

[JayJuanGee]

I'm really confused. As soon as Cryptopia allows transfers ( they finally allow log ins again ) I will buy the Junior. But where can I read more about ranking up here?

I think that you might be mixing up concepts, here.

You cannot buy junior member status or ranking up, but you can buy a copper membership which would give you a few more abilities, such as enabling images, as described in the below-linked thread.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2385104.0

As far as ranking up, that comes from earning merits, which usually would come more easily from posting in ways that other members perceive as helpful to them or to the issues of threads in which you post.  

I did a quick glance of your recent posts, and I could not really find any post that I found merit-worthy because it appeared to me that you were trying to sell stuff in various alt section threads, and first, I am not much into alts, and second, I did not know enough about the product discussions of your various posts in order to feel comfortable meriting any of the posts that I saw.....

If you have some bitcoin related posts that you made, then maybe you could point them out, if they exist?  

But, I guess my main point is that ranking up comes from activity, posts and earning merit, and not from purchase, so you could might want to reconsider ways that you post or areas of the forum in which you post that might cause inspiration from other members to send you a merit, from time to time, which would assist you with ranking up, if that is a goal of yours, as you mentioned.  

There are definitely a lot of threads in this forum that describe how to earn merits, without resorting to begging (hopefully.. hahahaha).  

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>

Well, if you only want to post, then you really do not need to pay much attention to any of this (merits, ranks), except for the posting image restriction which, if needed, you can bypass by acquiring a copper membership. Other than that, simply post as you see fit (there are some rules, but that is a usual thing).

[Mak0lBag0l]

I've been a member for more than a year now and some of these restrictions are quite disconcerting. I appreciate that you've considered how good newbies would be affected by garbage-posting that they have not been a part of. Now I regret being passive all this time. I just didn't want to start getting involved before I get truly acquainted with the forum rules/guidelines and know how to navigate through the numerous threads. I didn't have that much time then but now I have to. Should focus some attention too on who these merit sources are.

[LoyceV]

I've been a member for more than a year now and some of these restrictions are quite disconcerting.

Why? If you haven't posted at all, (lack of) Merit doesn't matter at all. What you really can't make up for, is the lack of Activity for this year.

I appreciate that you've considered how good newbies would be affected by garbage-posting that they have not been a part of.

I've considered this, and created [self-moderated] Report unmerited good posts to Merit Source .
You don't strike me as a spammer, if you keep up writing decent posts, Merit will find you. And if not, feel free to post in the above thread.
Once you're a Newbie-with-Merit, that highlights your posts above all the spammers. That's a good thing!

I just didn't want to start getting involved before I get truly acquainted with the forum rules/guidelines and know how to navigate through the numerous threads.

That's admirable, but doesn't have to take a year.

Should focus some attention too on who these merit sources are.

Asking for Merit isn't appreciated, so it doesn't really matter. But most of them are publicly known anyway.

Welcome to Bitcointalk, feel free to PM me once you have a couple of decent posts (and refer to this post when you do, this offer isn't for unsolicited messages) and I'll review them (if they're in English).

[Mak0lBag0l]

I've been a member for more than a year now and some of these restrictions are quite disconcerting.

Why? If you haven't posted at all, (lack of) Merit doesn't matter at all. What you really can't make up for, is the lack of Activity for this year.

I appreciate that you've considered how good newbies would be affected by garbage-posting that they have not been a part of.

I've considered this, and created [self-moderated] Report unmerited good posts to Merit Source .
You don't strike me as a spammer, if you keep up writing decent posts, Merit will find you. And if not, feel free to post in the above thread.
Once you're a Newbie-with-Merit, that highlights your posts above all the spammers. That's a good thing!

- Agreed. I'm not out for the merits. I meant if it wasn't for these spammers, I would still be enjoying some features of the previous default profile setup for newbies/new members that had to be discarded.

I just didn't want to start getting involved before I get truly acquainted with the forum rules/guidelines and know how to navigate through the numerous threads.

That's admirable, but doesn't have to take a year.

- Was inactive until recently and was just a passive reader of threads I found interesting.

Should focus some attention too on who these merit sources are.

Asking for Merit isn't appreciated, so it doesn't really matter. But most of them are publicly known anyway.

- I thought there were only a few sources and paying some attention on merit level could be a guide on who to follow and possibly interact with.

[LoyceV]

I thought there were only a few sources and paying some attention on merit level could be a guide on who to follow and possibly interact with.

There are currently 131 Merit sources. For Merit levels, see Merit stats.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

For Merit levels, see Merit stats.

Jeez, I can't believe I'm still on the recent most generous merit-senders list, since I've been slacking off as of late.  Haven't been doing much reading, just skimming, and there haven't been many posts by lower-ranked members that have stood out to me as merit-worthy.  Most of the sMerits I've spent lately have been on higher-ranked members.  I haven't looked at the merit stats in quite some time; thanks for reminding me that they exist.

Now I regret being passive all this time.
<snip>
Should focus some attention too on who these merit sources are.

Hey, you can always jump right in and start posting like a maniac.  You seem to have a good grasp of English, which is a huge advantage if you're going to be posting in the main section(s).  A lot of times I don't give out merits to members who write really broken-English posts unless they're extremely helpful and/or thoughtful.

You won't necessarily know who the merit sources are, but a lot of them haven't kept their status as sources a secret.  I wouldn't advise you to follow any of them around seeking merits, however.  It might work or it could backfire--but best of luck to you.