Dear Newbies: Please don’t buy Merit!

[Cashi]

Since Bitcointalk has launched new requirements for Jr. Members (1 Merit) I heard this several times now: Newbies willing to buy one single Merit and pay with BTC (or ETH). It's no surprise, that many Newbies are shocked, when they saw their rank was downgraded. But in my opinion, this is nothing to worry about and after all it’s not worth at all to buy a Merit. I hope some Newbies will read this as Meta is now flooded with posts from them...

This upcoming trend to think about to buy a Merit makes me really sad and there are several reasons why someone should never buy a Merit:

1)
A Merit buy is considered as Merit trade and this is not allowed. If you do so, you risk your account to be tagged red from DT members. If you are tagged, this will mean your account is useless to participate in most Bounties. In addition you have to wear a new signature (or it’s more a personal text): Warning: Trade with extreme caution!
Do you want this? I think you don't, so don't buy a Merit.

2)
Why should you spend money for something, that you can achieve easily? It’s really not very difficult to earn 1 Merit, most likely a semi-helpful post can be enough.
But after all you’ll see how easy it can be if you try and get a Merit. The second one will follow if you keep up posting good comments and you will also get to know how it’s getting easier to post useful comments because you’ll not only earn Merit, you’ll also earn experience how good comments are made and improve your language and knowledge.
My advice: don’t buy your single Merit, earn it! And I’m sure you don’t want to stay a Jr. Member forever, to be a Member you need 10 Merit. This should be your next goal.

3)
If you buy Merit, you will help scammers to enter this Merit trading market and it's well known, that Newbies are not very experienced in spotting scams. You can see this in every Telegram group if some fake Admins PM users and try to scam them.

There are some new Merit sources now and a new bunch of sMerit was airdropped to existing Merit sources a few days ago, the circulating sMerit is now much more than before. It has never been easier to get a single Merit. You see: There is no reason to pay for a Merit. 

[1714018439]

1714018439

[Papote]

I agree, I think that if the forum administrator implemented this new rule, it is to reduce SPAM and low quality comments that do not do anyone any good. In fact, I am more than happy with this new rule even though it is more difficult for us new users to scale ranges. In the long run, this "trick" can become a business and end up ruining the forum, I hope that the few who read this can realize what we want to share.

Thank you for reading 

[deguzmanwacky]

Unfortunately, some might be too desperate to rank up for the sake of earning from bounties. It is very hard to control the buying and selling of merits since most of them really earns a lot from here and is gone because of the new merit system. So for all the newbies out here like me, dont buy merits for the sake of ranking up. Read, learn, and share. Dont chase after rewards, let rewards chase you. Good luck!

[HiDevin]

If you buy merit, you are really slow.

When merit prices are higher ($14) than the copper membership ($12-13) and you have a risk of getting banned because of merit trading.

I still don't get the reason you would buy merit anyways unless like you are buying 10 to be a member.

[Xal0lex]

Another reason not to buy merits. You can lose them at any time.

BTW, if any merit source goes rogue and sells a ton of merit, then I will probably go through the transaction graph and undo all of the transactions touched by that sold source-merit. Merit ain't no immutable cryptocurrency!

[darkie199]

All these while from the beginning i never bothered to check out posts where some peoples have mentioned about "Merit" selling/purchasing. Until today i checked out some posts and realised merits are really available for purchase although it's merely disclosed. It's really very unfair option and i think purchasing merits won't actually help much, it's lack of patience, knowledge as well as all shit posts. Although peoples who are account farming might be able to grab much tokens by purchasing merits and participating in bounties offering an average level profile.

[nakamura12]

Money for copper membership instead of merit because copper membership will let you post images and can create good quality post with images or infographic then  you will get merited and also those who buy copper will be having a title of copper member under their username so choose wisely between buying copper or buying merit. Red trust ( merit trade ) or copper member ( helpful to post good quality post and add images ).

[ojanamon]

Personally, I think the merit issue for Jr.Member is very reasonable because that will help the forum become cleaner and restrict the cheater in the bounty, many will review their actions and contribute more positively and effectively to the forum. But in return, I still hope that the senior members and higher, even legends and veteran members, they should be positive and give merit to others if they are worthy because I see a lot of senior members ignoring those contributions, I can even say they are stingy and selfish when they are never encouraged for newbie or jr member

[innocentone]

All is well... But newbies how get merits.?

Newbie can get merits if someone give them merits. I think the right question that you're looking for is how would they give you merits. For someone to give you merits, you could make a good, informative post that might help others. Don't worry, there are lots of merit sources and if they see the potential of your posts , then they might give you one.

[Perie200]

All is well... But newbies how get merits.?

Everything is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. More study the forum, communicate on different topics (not only in the thread of alternative discussions). Offer your interesting ideas on the forum. Write a post that people like and you will be thanked for it sooner or later. I, as well as the author, do not support the purchase of merit, this is not correct.

[rufus59]

This would be challenge, burning believe am up to the task. Like the word of cz binance; learn, understand and believe. But in this case, it is learn, understand and post.

[devil before evil]

since bitcoin talk has launched a rule about merit point 1 is required for jr. member some of newbies buy merit points through ETH or BTC. but i think newbie can get 1 merit point if he/she post with logic and authentic.

[coinlocket$]

Good warning OP. If newbies buys merit they may possibly have the account with negative trust from the DT network, and then the money spent to buy the merit, will be spent for nothing.
Very important to say is that the transactions are one-way, which is why if you give money it is not said that eventually the merits arrive.
This is an easy way to scam people with promises of merit that they will never get.

[tranthidung]

As discussed many times around 8 months since the first day of merit system, merits are essential for the forum in its fight against spammers and shit-posters.
Of course, I know that it's hard to earn merits with my experience, but users can earn them for sure via their continuously deep contribution over time.
It takes time, need valuable contributions to get real results which might be shown via total number of merits can get.

In a word, totally agree with the OP on the warning message to avoid buying merits. This message is very important for all forum newcomers.

By the way, thanks @Theymos for his decision to change the forum, one more time.
At least, for now, the forum has not been annoyed, dumped with shitshows from Newbies. They have to get 1 merit to wear signature codes and join bounties.
In my experience, it's not too hard to get only 1 merit, so I support the new rank requirements, especially the latest adjustments on Junior Member rank requirements.
So, next question should be "how to make contribution, in particular valuable, helpful one?"
My tips are:
- Reading first and stop publishing new threads/ topics now. Next, which sorts of things I should read. Reading all helpful topics on forum rules, guides, and on bitcoin/ blockchain technologies; English vocabularies/ grammar, etc. Doing this on daily basis to improve knowledge, sharpen skills first.
This one is a very good place to get started: [GUIDES] on Bitcointalk. Index thread (until there is a dedicated subforum?)
- Publishing your threads to ask questions which have not been solved with current available threads/ topics. Or posting threads to help others solve their issues.
- Keep reading and learning via all your time you spend in the forum to help others. Help yourself first by reading and learning; then be more skilled, more expertised, more knowledgeable enough to help others. One of my most favorite way to learn in the forum is following famouse, prestigious members in order to catch their newest threads/ topics/ guides. Doing this has simultaneous effects, saving my time, boosting my learning process.

It is something like a cycle of reading, learning, contributing, so simply name it as a Read-Learn-Contribute Cycle in the BTT forum.

Let's stop complaining, start contributing instead and rank up, newcomers and newbies!

P/s:
One of good news is last week, the merit distribution increased around 90% than the figure of previous week.
Check it there with a report from @coinlocket$.
I am not sure why it happend, but I guess more merit sources added recently and more merit sources become more actively last week.
Or another theory is more slightly merit abusements from Newbies who wanted to rank up to Junior Member rank. It's just my theory, so take it easy guys.

By the way, I would like to remind that I created a topic on lists of blockchain courses (most of them are free).
Available courses on Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology from colleges and Univers

[btc-facebook]

Guys, please do not buy drug.
The fact is still happening !

We can't guard something with 100% maximum protection because if there is a way, it still can be attacked / hacked
All we can do is prevent by educating people for not do it !

[sweetrose1968]

i agree the merit system is put into place to make the forum a better place to learn about crypto coins and to get the help you really need. It was put in place to get people to write more informing post to help people out.
people trying to just buy merit is no help to others and makes them very untrustworthy to the people trying to learn from the site.

[3acaga]

When the merit was introduced, I was not at all upset that I had not managed to go into a full participant in 2 weeks.
I was not particularly worried that no one gives me credit, and I will not buy it in any case.
PS, and I advise you, too, not to become obsessed with the purchase of merits.

[warriorcryptobar]

You just made an amazing post. I was hanging onto every word until I got to your last line, "  sMerit was airdropped to existing Merit sources a few days ago".  Does anyone not find it a little frustrating that more merit was dropped to the Same people as everyone else without merit were demoted? Why would someone with merit get free merit, and people at the bottom without merit get penalized. It almost aches to problems we have with the 1 percent.

[Theb]

There might even be a far more worse consequence if merit selling happens prevalently on this Jr. Members (or even up to higher ranks). If it will be proven chances are theymos will do another readjustment to the merit requirements for these Jr. Members and this time they might include Members (rank) as well. theymos could easily increase the merit requirement of Jr. Members to 10 or 15 and Members to 20 or 30 if he see things like this necessary, and of course a lot of people will be affected with this new increase but if they will continue to patronize such kind of business I have no doubt that further changes in the merit system will happen.

[valnd]

One thing with buying merit is that it might backfire, because you don't know who you are buying merit from, you could be scammed for it, desperation leads to disaster, I think the best way to earn merit here is by stop been desperate for merit, read more , learn more and enjoy your stay here, merits will come when it comes, you won't even know.