How about a merit faucet / puzzle?

[qwk]

Well, here's another crazy idea of mine.

I couldn't help but notice that a lot of zero-merit-newbies seem to struggle with meeting at least minimum capabilities in English writing.
Also, being newbies, they tend to voice "opinions" or whatever they believe to be such, rather than insightful knowledge of even basic facts about Bitcoin.
It's not uncommon for whole threads to read like
"I think Bitcoin will go moon" "I too think Bitcoin go moon, Sir!" "Oh, but what if Bitcoin not go moon?" "Yes, I hear whales make Bitcoin not go moon."
Well, you get the idea, and you probably know what I'm talking about.

Therefore, I'd like to incentivize newbies to actually learn about Bitcoin, rather than spend their time in futile attempts at grasping somebody's attention and maybe pity-meriting them.

So here's my idea:
What if there were a thread where "oldies" posted relatively simple "puzzles" about Bitcoin and its history with a clear-cut, easy to research answer?
And the first newbie to post the correct answer would be awarded a merit or two.

E.g. I might ask for a link to the last post of the creator of Bitcoin.
You post "https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2228.msg29479#msg29479" and you win one merit.

What do you think? Good idea? Stupid idea? I can haz merit, Sir?

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[BIT-BENDER]

Great idea you got but still only newbies with the zeal to learn and improve would benefit for these type of competition. I do think some thing like this or in relation to it has been done atleast i know of those by @jetcash  and I was a beneficiary of
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5201929.msg53089722#msg53089722
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5201659.msg53083589#msg53083589

Many newbies has to develop the zeal to learn and contribute more helpfully.

Your idea is great and the zealous newbies would benefit -well they are newbies also- aren't they.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

What do you think? Good idea? Stupid idea? I can haz merit, Sir?

I wouldn't insult you by calling it a stupid idea, but it's a bad one IMO.  I don't think those illiterate newbies ought to be doing mindless tasks that they'll probably learn nothing from anyway in order to earn merits.  That isn't what the merit system is for.  It's to prevent said illiterates from ranking up and incentivizing them to join signature campaigns in which they'll absolutely crank out shitposts by the dozens.

If a member can't earn merits by making good posts, let them remain meritless.  I won't feel badly about that, and I don't think most merit sources or senior members who've seen the carnage shitposters have wrought would either.

[LoyceMobile]

Jet Cash has tried to engage Newbies in many topics, but without much result.
The ones who open useless topics are the ones the merit system is supposed to stop from ranking up.

[madnessteat]

~ What do you think? Good idea? Stupid idea? I can haz merit, Sir?

On the one hand, your idea is good because it is aimed at increasing the knowledge of newcomers and getting them to take merit for it, but on the other hand, such a distribution of gelding can lead to a quick pumping of alts by tricky farmers.

[LeGaulois]

Also, being newbies, they tend to voice "opinions" or whatever they believe to be such, rather than insightful knowledge of even basic facts about Bitcoin.

They're not interested to learn, but there are members relatively new to the forum and they're able to express their opinion correctly and debate with others. I mean with arguments, etc. Well, a normal discussion. I would rather send merits to them instead to send to the "merit prostitutes"

It was supposed to encourage quality posts, people turned it like the Red Light District, hence it's not easy for newbies

[BIT-BENDER]

 I don't think those illiterate newbies ought to be doing mindless tasks that they'll probably learn nothing from anyway in order to earn merits.  That isn't what the merit system is for.  

Quite correct illiterate newbies would hardly learn or rank up well that if they still choose to remain adamant.
But tasks where merit are giving as incentive aren't bad. Like the 10years anniversary contests where merit where given out and other task like this serves as an encouragement for a good work. But just like a good contests only hardworking people would get it.

[hosseinimr93]

Any effort to educate others is commendable. So, generally it's not a bad idea. But I doubt such things can attract newbies. Many of them have stuck in bounties board, don't check any other board and don't even know what is going on in the forum. They will never see such giveaways and contests.
1miau held a contest (Visit the link below) in December, 2019 focusing on education of participants. But no newbie was attracted.
Educational giveaway | guess first Bitcoin Block in 2020 [9.5 mBTC]

[ChuckBuck]

I don't think OP's idea is good. The merit system was born to solve many problems in this forum, from spammers to beginners. They have to learn how to make their writing better and deserve to be rewarded. The sending of merit is based on each person's thoughts, there is a standard that each person to accept someone. Answering simple puzzles is not a good idea for you to send merit, it is not the way this system works, merit should be given a more worthy way. The rules for giving merit are in place and should not be changed.

[Jet Cash]

Jet Cash has tried to engage Newbies in many topics, but without much result.
The ones who open useless topics are the ones the merit system is supposed to stop from ranking up.

Thanks for mentioning that. I offered to help non-English speakers to post in English as well through The Fit to Talk English project, and many members were able to gain merits through creating interesting threads. I've made a few posts there recently, and I would be prepared to revive the site if there is any interest.

For me. the most interesting recent change in Bitcoin is the large new mining farms that are starting up in America, and are being funded by corporates. If any new member wants to research that and start a thread, then I be pleased to consider that for merit awards. I rarely have fewer than 200 sMerit available, so I can guarantee rewards for non-plagiarised threads and posts. If you are not a native English speaker, then send me a PM, and I'll help you to build a good opening post.

Of course, the use of Bitcoin in countries like  Iran and Venezuela would be interesting as well, especially if you are a native of those countries.

[hugeblack]

I made a crossword puzzle with some popular events related to the bitcoin or the forum, the interaction was good but it should be chastity for fun and not for getting Merits.
Misuse, attempting to participate using alternative accounts and other things may cause such games to fail.


Make ut for fun

[shield132]

So you want to make stimuli for them to learn more about bitcoin, yeah? To be fair if you want to learn, you'll learn, just google anything you wish and you'll find a lot of answers, just ask on this forum and you'll get responses too. Personally I can say that in Development & Technical Discussion section achow101 has never left me without full answer, I appreciate that.
I have also seen one newbie who was receiving merits like rain because of his very, very high quality posts, he gained attention in the beginning when merit was implemented, can't remember that user. So what I want to say is that idea is still ok but it won't push newbies to try to rank up. Shit poster = shit poster, no matter what. You can't make child intelligent by giving chocolate if he/she gets good marks cause he/she prefers to put less afford and be left without reward.

[o_e_l_e_o]

The irony behind this idea is that if these newbies spend a bit of time researching and learning, then they would earn merit anyway, with or without a competition or giveaway.

There was a time for every single user of this forum when they were newbie, when they had zero earned merit, and when they knew nothing about bitcoin. Everyone with a large amount of earned merit has spent time learning and discussing to earn their merit. Every person who has made a worthwhile post or started an interesting discussion once knew nothing about bitcoin, or cryptocurrency, or mining, or computing, or math, or anything else for that matter. If the newbies spent time learning and contributing rather than just posting "to the moon" and other such vapid nonsense (as you rightly suggest), then they would earn the merit they so desperately want.

I can see where you are coming from qwk, but it kind of feels like it's missing the point. If you start giving away merit for answers which take 3 seconds to Google, newbies won't actually learn, and will just continue to shitpost albeit now with a signature. On the other hand I can get behind the kind of thing Jet Cash has tried, where he encouraged newbies to actually research a topic and present an argument or start a discussion about it, but as mentioned it seems that very few newbies actually want to take the effort to do that.

[Kunnu]

Last year I was newbie until October but now I have earned some merits and ranked up so I can understand that how much effort it takes to collect a single merit for a newbie and I appreciate your idea hopefully you will do something like that in near future so the newbies who deserves merits can get it.

[webtricks]

No offense but I consider all these newbie-supporting scheme as an easy way of farming accounts. Any experienced member can make a new account and start claiming such merits much faster than real newbies.

Being an avid supporter of *Capitalism*, I never liked the idea of government providing free supplies to poor and taxing high-rates to rich. Everyone should be given equal chances in similar environment. If newbies are smart enough, they will make their way up to top soon without any assistance.

[qwk]

The irony behind this idea is that if these newbies spend a bit of time researching and learning, then they would earn merit anyway, with or without a competition or giveaway.

That's the beauty of it, isn't it?

There was a time for every single user of this forum when [...] they knew nothing about bitcoin.

Formal protest. This is absolutely untrue for satoshi and a few others

If you start giving away merit for answers which take 3 seconds to Google

I actually didn't have something as simple as that in mind, obviously my example was poorly chosen.

I can get behind the kind of thing Jet Cash has tried, where he encouraged newbies to actually research a topic

This is more like what I had in mind.

But well, it seems like my idea doesn't receive a lot of love, which is totally understandable for me.
I guess I'll not go forward with it (I doubt that I would ever have put a lot of effort into it, anyway).

[Jet Cash]

But well, it seems like my idea doesn't receive a lot of love, which is totally understandable for me.
I guess I'll not go forward with it (I doubt that I would ever have put a lot of effort into it, anyway).

Don't be too discouraged, and I'd be happy to work with you if you do want to try something. My primary interest was to get members from non-English speaking countries to contribute to the English boards, and this is why I paid for a domain and hosting to allow me to help with the post translations. I'd be really interested in doing something to help Islamic members discuss the use of Bitcoin in their countries. There is so much misinformation flying around at the moment, that it would be great to get some opinions from the people who are affected by the bellicose bullies.

[akirasendo17]

No offense but I consider all these newbie-supporting scheme as an easy way of farming accounts. Any experienced member can make a new account and start claiming such merits much faster than real newbies.

Being an avid supporter of *Capitalism*, I never liked the idea of government providing free supplies to poor and taxing high-rates to rich. Everyone should be given equal chances in similar environment. If newbies are smart enough, they will make their way up to top soon without any assistance.

I think even though they got lots of merits from some giveaway merits , they should still spend more time to be recognized since they have to engange in better discussion and so a lot of works to be qualified to some campaign and more , yea they do have merits bit they will not be qualified, in the end they will be more active for their goal and with that more discussion, so I think this is a good idea in some ways

[o_solo_miner]

Well, here's another crazy idea of mine.
...
What do you think? Good idea? Stupid idea? I can haz merit, Sir?

[  ] Good idea?
[  ] Stupid idea?
[  ] Non of the above?
[  ] all of the above?
[X] Merit is overrated?

[o_e_l_e_o]

There was a time for every single user of this forum when [...] they knew nothing about bitcoin.

Formal protest. This is absolutely untrue for satoshi and a few others

Counter protest. There was a time when Satoshi knew nothing about bitcoin because he had not thought it up yet.

I can get behind the kind of thing Jet Cash has tried, where he encouraged newbies to actually research a topic

This is more like what I had in mind.

In which case I think it's a reasonable idea, and I'd be happy to award some merit in such a thread.

I think the key is the difference between a question which has an answer which can just be paraphrased from a single source, and one that requires actual reading and self education; closed questions versus open questions. "Who created bitcoin?" isn't a great question, but you could maybe try something like "Discuss some of the motivations behind Satoshi's creation of bitcoin?" Instead of "What is an unconfirmed transaction?", how about "Explain why it is unsafe to accept unconfirmed transactions?" Anything that requires reading and learning, as opposed to just copy and pasting and changing a few words.