Does this post deserve 10 merit?

[libert19]

Whether a post deserves merit or not, it's in the eyes of beholder.

But then I see this,



10 merits?
Single line post?
No substance?

ps: I don't have anything against, the poster guy or the merit giving guy. I just felt like sharing it.

So... What you think?

[Mastery]

The poster had some doubts on the project (GOLD) and the merit guy just wanted to show his strong agree. That's all I can think of. As far as I know, merit is not moderated and hence people can freely use it: as a way of agreeing to something, give-to-receive, funny post/comment... I don't think we should be harsh on merit.

[Pmalek]

Both accounts have recently woken up. aksplace has not posted anything since 2017. He woke up today at 3:54:11 AM, wrote that post at 04:00:05 AM and 5 minutes later, at 04:05:13 he got those 10 merits.
Those are the facts, it's up to the admins and DTs to determine if this is an abuse of the merit system or not.  

[BitcoinGirl.Club]

So... What you think?

Users are free to share their merit with anyone, any amount. The sender felt that he wants to give 10 merits so, he sent it out. No one is obliged to policing here. In rare cases I think theymos said somewhere that he will reverse it.

Anyway, to be honest if I were the user then I would not send that much merit for this response.

Those are the facts, it's up to the admins and DTs to determine if this is an abuse of the merit system or not. 

I have seen some DTs to tag account for merit abusing but it is no more in practice.

[rosezionjohn]

Maybe. Is there a specific guideline on how many merits should be spent on a post or comment? If there is none, there is no need to fuss about how other users distribute their merit.

[BitcoinGirl.Club]

Maybe. Is there a specific guideline on how many merits should be spent on a post or comment? If there is none, there is no need to fuss about how other users distribute their merit.

Here, you will find the best guideline. One just needs to read it.

[rosezionjohn]

Maybe. Is there a specific guideline on how many merits should be spent on a post or comment? If there is none, there is no need to fuss about how other users distribute their merit.

Here, you will find the best guideline. One just needs to read it.

The post mentioned what posts or comments should be merited but it doesn't specifically answer my question of how many merits should be given. Or did I miss something there?

[gentlemand]

The post mentioned what posts or comments should be merited but it doesn't specifically answer my question of how many merits should be given. Or did I miss something there?

No such thing as a merit 'rule'. It's a free for all.

Merit as agreement is pretty common. I got 50 merits for one single moan that another poster evidently felt rather strongly about.

[freedomgo]

If that does not deserve a merit, what can we do? Merit sender has his own decision and he can be bias if he wants to, there's no rules on how merit system should be given, that's only from a sole discretion of the sender, for whatever purpose he wants.

[Westingcote]

No such thing as a merit 'rule'. It's a free for all.

Merit as agreement is pretty common. I got 50 merits for one single moan that another poster evidently felt rather strongly about.

Now that people have noticed how rare merit is to receive I don't think there is many 50 merit transactions. These were probably sent because the merit system was new and people did not know the worth of merits.

[DdmrDdmr]

<...> Now that people have noticed how rare merit is to receive I don't think there is many 50 merit transactions. <...>

All historical sMerit TXs, by amount of merits sent in the TX:

Code:

nMerits nTx
50	411
49	7
48	5
47	1
46	8
45	15
44	4
43	4
42	8
41	7
40	39
39	13
38	8
37	3
36	6
35	10
34	11
33	14
32	16
31	16
30	105
29	21
28	12
27	25
26	22
25	155
24	24
23	20
22	35
21	46
20	570
19	56
18	32
17	32
16	53
15	191
14	37
13	75
12	124
11	125
10	3184
9	389
8	421
7	780
6	1016
5	9071
4	8364
3	9274
2	33093
1	153235
-1	1
-2	3
-4	1
-5	2
-7	1
-8	1
-9	2
-10	5

If we delimit the TXs to 2019 TXs, the numbers are as follows:

Code:

amount	nTx
50	80
48	1
46	4
45	1
41	1
40	6
39	4
35	1
34	2
33	1
32	1
31	2
30	14
29	7
28	2
27	3
26	4
25	24
24	2
23	5
22	1
21	7
20	83
19	27
18	3
17	3
16	6
15	43
14	3
13	14
12	25
11	35
10	740
9	226
8	153
7	229
6	291
5	2240
4	4932
3	3188
2	12502
1	57574
-1	1
-2	3
-4	1
-5	2
-7	1
-8	1
-9	2
-10	5

[LoyceV]

Both aksplace and BlackBaron are Sr. Member already. They'll need 240 or 250 more Merits to rank up. Even if it was bought, this 10 Merit is an insignificant drop, don't worry about it

it's up to the admins and DTs to determine if this is an abuse of the merit system or not.

I've only seen theymos get involved in Merit abuse when it was a Merit source doing it. And there's this (context: theymos was talking to a Merit source):

If a DT member tags you for something stupid involving merit (ie. probably anything less than selling merit), then they're not going to be a DT member for much longer.

[tbct_mt2]

People have their own rights to use their sendable merits in the way they want. They can send their sMerits to real constructive, and helpful posts (for their needs, or if they simply feel those posts are helpful for other members); or they can send their sMerits to a joke. Users should not think of the forum as an extremely place, and people who stay in front of computer screen need jokes to relax. Hence, joking posts deserve merits in my opinion.
Moreover, merits are not moderated in the forum, if someone don't seriously abuse.
You can receive 10 merits with one post, or 10 merits for 10 posts (all are joking) in WO; or in April Fools. Nothing wrong with it!

For that case, 10 merits for one post, I don't think it should be called as merit abusement.
Even if it is merit abusement, they can not abuse too much. 10 merits sent from A to B, originally; then B can backwards to A 5 merits; next A send to B 2 merits; next B send to B 1 merit; next A can only be able to send last 1 merit to B; B has only 0.5 sMerits and can not abuse more.
In short, if they are abusers and keep abusing, B can get 13 (3 more) merits in total, and A can get back 6 merits in total. They don't move to somewhere else with insignificant received merits, 13 (for B) and 6 (for A).

[LogitechMouse]

Nothing to worry about but the 10 Merits has been wasted .
If that is distributed to those who are in need then it will better Stupid Merit sender.
Probably an account of the receiver or friend. I think there is no punishment to this but to answer your post, obviously this post doesn't deserve 10 merits.

[hugeblack]

So... What you think?

Unless @BlackBaron is a Merit source, there is no risk.
You can spend sMerits as you like but you will have to create high-quality posts to get them.
The manipulation circles will be small and easy to detect so account farming will expose itself to a lot of risks if they try to manipulate.

BTW: Move this topic into ----> Reputation

[Daniel91]

I think it's very difficult to prove merit abuse.
I'm merit source but I never gave so much merits for one single post.
I always try to give merit for good quality posts, constructive posts which can benefit others.
But, it's me and others have other ways how to give merits, so it's difficult to judge here.
It's not against the rules to give so much merit for one post unless it's some kind of manipulation.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

I got 50 merits for one single moan that another poster evidently felt rather strongly about.

Yes, but you consistently write very well-written posts, regardless of whether they're moaning about something or not (though 50 merits is kind of extreme).  In the example OP showed, I would definitely say that the post was not worth 10 merits even if there was strong agreement with it.  On the other hand, you are correct--it is a free-for-all with merits, and some folks don't understand how valuable merits really are.

Having said that,

Both accounts have recently woken up. aksplace has not posted anything since 2017. He woke up today at 3:54:11 AM, wrote that post at 04:00:05 AM and 5 minutes later, at 04:05:13 he got those 10 merits.

The above is good evidence that this wasn't just a case of one member agreeing with somebody's post.  I would strongly suspect that this is someone giving merits to an alt account or a friend.  Not that it would have done much good, though.  He still has to hit 500 merits to reach Hero member, and that's a long ways away.

In any case, I highly doubt any DT member is going to take action and it's certain that no moderator will.  This is probably misuse of merit, but who knows.  All I know is that I've stopped looking for cases of merit abuse since it's very subjective and Theymos doesn't want anyone to tag merit abusers unless it's very blatant and excessive.  This doesn't rise to that level IMO.

[AverageGlabella]

Merit abuse and not knowing the value of sMerits are tooo different things which might appear to be the same thing. I do not think that the post deserved 10 merit but from a point of view of someone who does not know the value and rarity of sMerit they might be more willing to send high amounts. 10 sMerit is might upper limit of a great post for me to merit 10 merit it would have to have either required a lot of effort to do (like DdmrDdmr posts) or a very detailed reply. If I had sMerit to give I would have sent some to DdmrDdmr's post above as that's yet again another great informative post by them.

The above is good evidence that this wasn't just a case of one member agreeing with somebody's post.  I would strongly suspect that this is someone giving merits to an alt account or a friend.  Not that it would have done much good, though.  He still has to hit 500 merits to reach Hero member, and that's a long ways away.

In any case, I highly doubt any DT member is going to take action and it's certain that no moderator will.  This is probably misuse of merit, but who knows.  All I know is that I've stopped looking for cases of merit abuse since it's very subjective and Theymos doesn't want anyone to tag merit abusers unless it's very blatant and excessive.  This doesn't rise to that level IMO.

The post doesn't deserve 10 merit by any of the forum standards and I think we can all agree on that. However the evidence provided is not good enough as its a one off transaction. If we were to see constant transactions between these members for a long period of time for equally as shit posts then that would probably warrant a more thorough investigation. 

[Chaki #diarize]

I believe this is a free 'place' wherein you can do what you want as long you are bind with the rules and regulation, but then some rules are made in general term and there is no specific sub-section so it can be interpret in some manners.

As for the merit, if you have many, you can give it to anyone you would like to have since its your privilege to use them, give them as a gift, a token of appreciation, as a reward, a gift to someone. (if he is not a source of merit that is replenished by the management) So it will depleted soon till he can no longer give one so there is no issue at all.

The other thing is that, the 'abuse' of using merit is another thing, as long as he is not using this merit to gas his other account, or selling this merit to other user then its okay, since there he did not break any rules then as for me also it is fine, but, let's say he did break the rules, then everyone is free to present the issue and the evidence.

That's my idea.

PS: 'Some issues about merit giving/awarding post' is just because of people's jealousy, that even how hard they make fantastic post no-one is just giving them merit. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Bttzed03]

Stating a comment has no substance is purely your personal opinion. I don't think it deserves 10 but I can consider giving it a single merit. 

PS: 'Some issues about merit giving/awarding post' is just because of people's jealousy, that even how hard they make fantastic post no-one is just giving them merit. Correct me if I am wrong.

You could be right but if you feel the need to discuss this further, it is better to create your own thread. I'm not sure which board is better, Meta or Reputation.