First Timer

[forlaie]

Hello everyone, I have very recently joined this community and have read/skimmed through many beginner help sections and am still unsure of where to get started.

I have a mediocre understanding of how cryptocurrency works and am wondering on how to advance on this forum.

Specific Questions:

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

Thanks a lot for all of your help and I'm looking forward to joining this community.

[1713981961]

1713981961

[1713981961]

1713981961

[1713981961]

1713981961

[BitMaxz]

Since you are newbie you should start to read the sticky thread in beginners and help section it is a pinned thread on this section.

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

This section as what I said above.

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

I don't think forum needs any skill to contribute here but if you want you can donate any amount it may help to improve the forum.
Here the page https://bitcointalk.org/donate.html

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

Much better to read this thread Merit & new rank requirements

[harizen]

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

Thanks a lot for all of your help and I'm looking forward to joining this community.

1. Providing you already know forum rules, next stop would be here in this section and read the PINNED POST. After that freely explore the whole forum. I know you have the ability to understand on what sections should be worth visiting. You have your own preferences.

2. Follow forum rules. You will soon learn the meaning of "contribute" as you progress.

3. Refer to previous response.

[Bitlover10]

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

For gaining your knowledge about bitcoin you can visit bitcoin discussion, development and technical discussion and project development sections. In those sections of the forum you can find useful information about bitcoin. you can also use search option for your specific questions.

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

Before contributing in this forum you need gain your knowledge as much as you can and read all the forum rules which is pinned in every section. I would like to recommend you read this Lauda thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1689727.msg16958010#msg16958010 . This thread also pinned in this section.

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

Merit system encourage members for quality post. Without merit you can't ranking up . So it's important that your post quality is good and it's useful for everyone. You can find many threads here how you can improve your post quality.

[Velkro]

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?
2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?
3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

This one you are in, read guides thread with many many many guides.
Watch andraes antonopolous explaining bitcoin in youtube.
Merit is about what you can do in this forum. To set colorful signature, avatar etc.

[mk4]

Just to add, as people answered your questions already anyway:

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

This one. But mostly you'd get questions and discussions rather than guides and tutorials, so I'd suggest you do some research outside of Bitcointalk instead. Of course, if you're unable to understand some things concerning bitcoin or cryptocurrencies in general, then you can freely ask them here(assuming Google doesn't have an answer).

Check this out: https://coindesk.com/information   that should keep you busy for a while.

[okala]

To learn more about bitcoin on this forum you have to stick to the bitcoin discussion section that is where all issues related to bitcoin are discussed, and also the merit system was introduced to this forum early last year and it primary purpose is to encourage quality Post's in the forum and your rank on the forum depends on it.

[Lucius]

I don't think forum needs any skill to contribute here but if you want you can donate any amount it may help to improve the forum.
Here the page https://bitcointalk.org/donate.html

You say one Newbie who have "mediocre understanding of how cryptocurrency works" to donate 10BTC or 50BTC to forum? Quite strange advice if you ask me, and I am not sure that forum is accepts donations at this time.


forlaie, if there is a local board for your country it would certainly be good to start there, some information is easier to understand in your own language. Which part of the forum can best help you depend on what you are interested in, so there is board for trading, economics or development & technical discussion. I suggest you go from the top of the forum and review every board.

[The Cryptovator]

Welcome to the community, wish you happy journey with this bitcointalk community. Although this forum name Bitcointalk, but you can talk here about any crypto currency or blockchain related topics. First you need to read forum rules next read all the pin post which board you are going make post. There is dedicated board for learn, so search what you need. You don't need any specific knowledge for contribution, share whatever you have and whatever you have best knowledge.

Merit determine about quality of poster and merit is applicable for earning from signature. Otherwise its not required for anything for forum except newbie image posting.  So your aim should not just earn merit, learn and contribute for forum. Best of luck.

[Crypto Girl]

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

Simply just obey the rules and you can contribute effectively hence don't pile up with spammers and plagiarists here then you're all good.

Anyway, welcome to our community. See you around.

[nakamura12]

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

Looking for a sub-board or board to gain more knowledge, start in Beginner's and Help, Meta and Bitcoin Discussions about bitcoin topics for learning later on when you have gain knowledge or information about bitcoin and the forum too. Learn to search informations like merit and new rank requirements and bitcointalk unofficial forum rules so you will know what to avoid and what is allowed. You should also learn the abbreviations in cryptoworld that is used or commonly used abbreviation such as HODL = Hold on for Dear Life and more.

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

Donating bitcoin to the forum or buying copper membership could also be considered as contributing to the forum but theymos stated many times that the forum doesn't need BTC at this moment or at this time. How to contribute?, finding scam sites, reporting forum users who violate the rules, posting good/high quality post, finding forum users that promote scam sites or ICOs. Contributing does not entirely depends if you have skills or not.

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

The merit system is implemented by the forum admin theymos to force people to create or make high, good, constructive post and prevent forum spammers from ranking up because when the merit system is not yet implemented ranking in this forum is only based on activity count or points which you can easily increased your activity points by posting 1 post a day within two weeks as you only get 14 activity points in 2 weeks and another 14 in next two weeks. The merit system is implemented by theymos on January 24, 2018 which is three days after the day I registered in here and just started as newbie in crypto industry. You should know the history of bitcoin and the bitcointalk.org forum.

[Velkro]

Specific Questions:
1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?
2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?
3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

1. This depend of Bitcoin knowledge you want posses. If its about mining then mining sub-forum. If its about basic stuff, then this section with guides is best.
2. To contribute i would advice you to learn first a lot.
3. you can set kickass avatar with higher activity/merit

btw Welcome

[Kasabus]

Welcome to the big community mate, yes merit is needed but it's not for reputation, you need it more for you to rank up as your activity increases.

I can recommend you reading and participating the discussions below.

Bitcoin Discussion
Economics
Trading Discussion

If you like to know about altcoins, read

Alternate cryptocurrencies

If you are a fan of gambling,

Gambling
Gambling discusssion


The rest, you can explore it.

[Kakmakr]

Hello everyone, I have very recently joined this community and have read/skimmed through many beginner help sections and am still unsure of where to get started.

I have a mediocre understanding of how cryptocurrency works and am wondering on how to advance on this forum.

Specific Questions:

1. Which sub-forum should I participate in to gain knowledge of bitcoin the most?

2. How do I contribute effectively (and what kind of skills would be deemed valuable)?

3. I understand how to gain merit and such but what is merit really useful for (is it just reputation)?

Thanks a lot for all of your help and I'm looking forward to joining this community.

1. It depends on what your goal is with acquiring new knowledge. The people interested in Bitcoin mining, would frequent the mining section and the traders will move around in the Market place and speculation sections. So your best bet would be to read more answers to questions in the beginners section and then to focus in on a section that you are more interested in. 

2. Well, you could do more research about Crypto currencies on other platforms and share "new" information and news here on this forum.

3. Merit must be your last concern now, because you are still new to the forum. Just post quality content and the merit will come in on it's own.

Good luck and obey the rules and enjoy the forum. 

[Scheede]

I don't think forum needs any skill to contribute here but if you want you can donate any amount it may help to improve the forum.
Here the page https://bitcointalk.org/donate.html

You say one Newbie who have "mediocre understanding of how cryptocurrency works" to donate 10BTC or 50BTC to forum? Quite strange advice if you ask me, and I am not sure that forum is accepts donations at this time.

Fully agree here, even most of the Legendaries (that said, here since years) never donated anything (greed or not knowing there is that option? Nevermind...) and that is your first suggestion to a new arrival? That would scare me (in his position) off at the first day (or at least send a totally wrong message.


@forlaie: Warmest welcome to our community!

To start: This is the first time I read anybody in this forum recommending a donation, so don´t take that for any sort of your overall-impression, please.


As mentioned by previous speakers, make sure to follow the rules/guidelines/etiquette and you will be fine in general.

I found this thread helpful (and not to exhausting to read )

[GUIDE] Bitcointalk forum etiquette]


Following that get into the topics you want to learn about the most. Don´t take everything said as the "only true fact".


I would suggest to get into the local board of "your language" as mentioned before as well. People there will most likely be able to answer questions better and you will find plenty infos in "your language" what may help getting into "your topics" better. Also it may help building bonds as those (speaking for the German community myself) tend to "know each other" by some time, you will be able to figure out whom to trust / how has the knowledge you are looking for, maybe even make friends.


To gain merits I suggest provide value to the community. The more somebody can learn from you, the more appreciation you will experience. I know your initial reaction now might be "Me? Who of all those here can learn anything from me at that stage?" the answers are simple.
- everybody here started from 0 (knowledge) at some point
- nobody can know it all


I will sketch an example:

- the topic "security" will probably come quite soon onto your table, so you will search and probably find information/advices/guides/tutorials on Bitcointalk
- if you consider those helpful & easy to understand/follow for you to get started, fine
- if not: that is already your first chance/idea to create something valuable to the community
- dive deeper into that specific topic (e.g. through internal and/or external sources), collect the valuable informations and save them
- later you might be able to start a thread from there where you, following your own experiences, will be the one able to provide easy-to-follow informations to all the newcomers in future

Result: merits will quite surely be awarded for that


That´s it from my side for the moment, last but not least: never send any amount to anybody asking you to do so (if), this forum is free for all.

And now: Enjoy to take and to give (back)  

[BitMaxz]

You say one Newbie who have "mediocre understanding of how cryptocurrency works" to donate 10BTC or 50BTC to forum? Quite strange advice if you ask me, and I am not sure that forum is accepts donations at this time.

Fully agree here, even most of the Legendaries (that said, here since years) never donated anything (greed or not knowing there is that option? Nevermind...) and that is your first suggestion to a new arrival? That would scare me (in his position) off at the first day (or at least send a totally wrong message.

It's just an optional if you want to have a Donator title or to become a VIP with a custom title but any amount to donate on the forum is fine but you will not get the Donator title. Check the address from donation page into explorer and you will see there are people who are donating a small amount.

For me, it is part of contributing to the forum that is why I suggested it.