Merit to encourage quality discussion

[DTalk]

Will it be a good idea if I give merit to encourage people for becoming active and start quality post? I have asked people to post on certain things about bitcoin and if they can, I have promised to give merit.
In my local, there are no huge activity, they post spam most of the time. They have very low knowledge on bitcoin. To them, bitcoin wallet = coinbase which is very misleading. I am trying to overcome this and spread awareness for a long time and that's why I have planned to ask them question and share merit when someone can give proper answer.
What's your moral on this? I repeat my goal is to increase awareness and that's why I have promised them to share merit as long as I have.

[PrimeNumber7]

Merit is supposed to be given for well written, well thought out (“quality”) posts. Merit should not be given for substantially inaccurate posts or posts with bad advice.

[bitserve]

Please lock the thread. Thanks.

Why? He asked a legit question and haven't received ANY valid answer to the question he asked. PrimeNumber7, didn't even specifically address the question and OP concerns, as if he seems to be more interested in just making another post than really helping the OP.

@DTalk Yes, you can promise/give merits to encourage people to post useful advice or just to open an interesting debate. Just try to make sure the merit reward is in accordance with the quality/effort/entertainment factor of the post according to your very own subjective criteria.

As long as there is no merit abuse you are free to use them how you deem appropriate.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

In my local, there are no huge activity, they post spam most of the time. They have very low knowledge on bitcoin. To them, bitcoin wallet = coinbase which is very misleading.

Yeah, that sounds like they're refugees from cryptotalk or something.  In any case, I wouldn't hand out merits to members making posts like that if the posts are spammy or give misinformation.  Giving out merits isn't going to encourage bad posters to somehow become good ones, so if I were you I would just hold on to your sMerits until you see a post that you think deserves being merited.  It's not like you have to get rid of your sMerits as soon as possible.

PrimeNumber7, didn't even specifically address the question and OP concerns

Not in great detail, but he said basically what you and I are saying.  I'm not quite sure what OP's dilemma is exactly, but if it's to hand out merits to low quality posts hoping that this will encourage them to improve, I don't think that's going to work.  Maybe OP could clarify this.

[LeGaulois]

Sometimes the merit system encourages prostitution and since there are a lot of Merit prostitutes. Instead, to create quality discussions it creates quality prostitutes
People confuse the merit system with a Facebook like button, we can't be perfect 24/7 we're all humans but there are boards where it's a generality and the prostitutes know this. it becomes the perfect street to scrub the pavement
I'm sad about the system itself because it could be more powerful than that.

[bitserve]

I'm not quite sure what OP's dilemma is exactly, but if it's to hand out merits to low quality posts hoping that this will encourage them to improve, I don't think that's going to work.  Maybe OP could clarify this.

I think his dilemma is if he can PROMISE IN ADVANCE to give merit for certain activities, as some sort of reward for contributing to interesting debate. I think that IS allowed. Not unlike the art contest by Theymos himself, and many other examples.

Or at least that's what I understood from the OP.

[PrimeNumber7]

Please lock the thread. Thanks.

Why? He asked a legit question and haven't received ANY valid answer to the question he asked. PrimeNumber7, didn't even specifically address the question and OP concerns, as if he seems to be more interested in just making another post than really helping the OP.

No details matter beyond the general criteria that I mentioned. What I wrote can really apply to any other question regarding if merit should be given for a post, with few exceptions >.<

[El duderino_]

I'm not quite sure what OP's dilemma is exactly, but if it's to hand out merits to low quality posts hoping that this will encourage them to improve, I don't think that's going to work.  Maybe OP could clarify this.

I think his dilemma is if he can PROMISE IN ADVANCE to give merit for certain activities, as some sort of reward for contributing to interesting debate. I think that IS allowed. Not unlike the art contest by Theymos himself, and many other examples.

Or at least that's what I understood from the OP.

Or maybe also good is making a thread or activity with an activity, question to discuss or whatever and just view what members do.... I wouldn’t really promise merit in front cause some people will just write to get some, some might even write some stuff they disagree with there self if they can collect some easy merit

With my halving game I just ask a question like chose a price range + TA or reasoning why that range....

I’m now rewarding all those that gave a proper explaining or those that did some effort..... gonna cost a few more days of replenish but I didn’t said to merit in the OP....

[tranthidung]

Will it be a good idea if I give merit to encourage people for becoming active and start quality post?

First, this is the hope of theymos (the core admin) when he launched the merit system on 24 Jan 2018

I'm hoping that this system will increase post quality by:
 - Forcing people to post high-quality stuff in order to rank up. If you just post garbage, you will never get even 1 merit point, and you will therefore never be able to put links in your signature, etc.
 - Highlighting good posts with the "Merited by" line.

You are right that merit is the unofficial tool to encourage people to change themselves and being more constructive but I don't agree with you on this "give merit to encougrage ....". This is not the right thing to do, IMO, for some reasons I can imagine on this:

• I don't say it is easy to make a good post but in reality it is not too difficult. Even shitposters can spend some minutes to scan topics, and posts of the others, then read some documents, sources to answer questions with kind of helpful replies. At least, shitposters can make a good posts. It is possible task, I am sure about that.
• The problem occurs from this. If you promise something, only one good post applied will be rewarded one merit, you might fall into 'fake' quality contributions from shitposters. They can make one good post, earn 1 merit, to become Junior members, ie. then return back to their shitshows, and keep spamming. It's not good.
• The more appropriate method is: Ask for good applied posts + good post history. If one applicant satisfies two requirements, he will win win the amount of merits you promised.

[mk4]

Do it the other way around(the way it should be)- give merit to the topics/replies that actually deserves merit, so others would be more encouraged to post quality content. You'd be spoiling the spammers if you're just going to randomly give them merit.

They have very low knowledge on bitcoin. To them, bitcoin wallet = coinbase which is very misleading. I am trying to overcome this and spread awareness for a long time and that's why I have planned to ask them question and share merit when someone can give proper answer.

Sometimes we really need to do some heavy lifting. I had to create a quick topic in our local boards concerning security and ask the local moderator to pin it, to hopefully reach more readers. I had to frequently repeat how bad it is to use leave funds on custodial wallets every time someone mentions that they leave most of their funds on Coins.ph(pretty much the Philippine version of Coinbase); I'm pretty much like a broken record in our local boards. I suggest doing the same. Is it tedious? Damn yea it is. I felt like a parent scolding my children. But I'm not a fan of people getting scammed/hacked.

[The Cryptovator]

Please lock the thread. Thanks.

Why? He asked a legit question and haven't received ANY valid answer to the question he asked.

Well, the question OP has asked, it's the goal of merit system. Theymos implemented merit system to encourage users create quality & useful post. And I believe most of user who know about merit they know also intention of merit system. It's not something new, hundred of post has been made about it. There is more better discuss if you search here.

There is two reason why I request to OP for locked this thread. First I am assuming OP just want to gain some merits by creating merit related thread, because most of newbies are thinking this is a quick merit earning method (may be op intention is good, but who know). Second thing is, this thread would encourage more spam. That's why I had not feed OP. I will suggest OP, be more active and try to search before posting, if you were active on meta then you should got your answer a while ago.

As a merit source I always want to encourage (by sending merits) newbies to make good post. I really do not expect a high quality post from them. Whenever I can consider a post at least as a good post then I try to send a merit, so they would more active and could make more good post. Op could do same, nothing wrong to promise them but most likely it won't work. They already know that it's possible to receive merit if they make good post, isn't? So who are preventing them to make good post?

[Henri Cartier]

Will it be a good idea if I give merit to encourage people for becoming active and start quality post? I have asked people to post on certain things about bitcoin and if they can, I have promised to give merit.

Yes, you can give merits to those who write good answers for the topics you give. Few days back @Jet Cash had started some topics on Beginners section and asked Newbies to write about it. These are the topics started by him - [For merit] Discuss the effect mining rewards have on the price of Bitcoin and [Merits again] Discuss the velocity of Bitcoin for Newbies. It was a good start by him and many newbies wrote good answers and earned merits for that.

Even you can start a topic in a similar way and encourage Newbies by giving away merits for their quality posts.

[Daniel91]

I'm using my available merits in order to reward good and quality posts in the forum.
If we have more good and quality posts we also have forum with good and quality content and more members because of it,  it's natural way.
It's not easy for forum admins to fight against scam or build forum with good and interesting content but I think theymos and others did good job.
Local merit source members can inspire local members to write more quality content in the local section of the forum.

[Kunnu]

Sometimes I read very effective posts on various threads but the lack of grammar those posts don't look much attractive unfortunately the posts don't get merits this is the basic problem for a non English speaker and I also faced these kind of issues in the past but it should not be an excuse making improvements is not impossible everyone can improve the quality of posts with some effective practice.

[cabalism13]

Sometimes I read very effective posts on various threads but the lack of grammar those posts don't look much attractive unfortunately the posts don't get merits

As long the readers can get the point then it will be spared, I don't know who or I'm not quite sure if Coolcryptovator is the one whose also like that at first, but the longer he stays he learns. (Correct me if I'm wrong with the name) And now just look at his account, one of the trusted users here and even now a Legendary (only lacks activity)

Also you can PM some (some doesn't like the idea)of the Sources here as long as the post is good enough to receive one.

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>

It doesn't necessarily have to be about proper full-fledged answers, but points of view in a brainstorm of ideas that are treading in the correct path to solving a scenario. I recently opened a topic on my local board, based on a hypothetical scenario, where Sideshow bob has a righteous dilemma of how to proceed with the custody and conversion to FIAT of his BTC, taking into account that he wants to come clean in the process, and at the same time wanting to end his past feuds with Lisa and Bart (see Bitcoin - Estrategias de Custodia y Conversión a FIAT para Bob).

The made-up context helps to provide a scenario that is less formal and a bit more fun to ponder, and there is no single valid answer, but rather a stimulate to a debate on alternatives to a given scenario.
 

[AicecreaME]

The disadvantage of this OP is what if you start not giving them merits when they post something that you think qualifies for a merit, I think they will start posting nonsense post again, and your generosity would just go in vain after all what you did for them. It is more better if they will realized that they need to change how they post in order to receive merits and rank up in this forum (I hope they are dedicated about it) and have passions about what they are doing here in this forum

Because when people are doing the right stuffs even there is no other people looking at them or even without anything in exchange, there is no doubt that they will grow in time.

[taufik123]

Giving some merit to shitposter who strives to be a good poster will certainly be a thing that will encourage them to be more productive and make posts more useful. But are you sure they will always make quality posts if you stop giving merit?
The need for self-awareness is very important. do not let your goal to give merit makes them always beg you.

then give them an understanding to always learn if they don't understand about bitcoin and cryptocurrency, make sure your goal of giving merit makes them better and more useful for this forum.

[bitserve]

Please lock the thread. Thanks.

Why? He asked a legit question and haven't received ANY valid answer to the question he asked.

Well, the question OP has asked, it's the goal of merit system. Theymos implemented merit system to encourage users create quality & useful post. And I believe most of user who know about merit they know also intention of merit system. It's not something new, hundred of post has been made about it. There is more better discuss if you search here.

There is two reason why I request to OP for locked this thread. First I am assuming OP just want to gain some merits by creating merit related thread, because most of newbies are thinking this is a quick merit earning method (may be op intention is good, but who know). Second thing is, this thread would encourage more spam. That's why I had not feed OP. I will suggest OP, be more active and try to search before posting, if you were active on meta then you should got your answer a while ago.

As a merit source I always want to encourage (by sending merits) newbies to make good post. I really do not expect a high quality post from them. Whenever I can consider a post at least as a good post then I try to send a merit, so they would more active and could make more good post. Op could do same, nothing wrong to promise them but most likely it won't work. They already know that it's possible to receive merit if they make good post, isn't? So who are preventing them to make good post?

The thing is that the way I understand the question of the OP is not generic about the merit system but specifically he is asking if he can say/promise in advance that he will give some merit as a reward for some type of post/activity... which I assume it would be of some "quality" (even if subjectively) as expected. I don't think he meant to promise giving merit for just posting random shit (as some replies here are assuming). I also didn't assume the OP was creating this thread just to gain some merits.

Maybe I am being naive here, but I try to give the benefit of doubt... when in doubt

I always try to check post history of newbies to check if I see something suspicious before replying... but in this case he mostly posts in a foreign language and I couldn't be arsed to translate it.

Anyway, considering the OP is not a merit source, and his current rank, the amount of Smerits he may have available to give is almost insignificant. So I don't think it is such a big deal what kind of "experiments" (as long as it is not abuse) he decides to try to encourage quality posts in his local subforum.

And if what he specifically meant is running some sort of "contest" in which the best answers to some Bitcoin related questions are rewarded with merit: Yes, that is allowed and in fact it is usually done (ie. The art contest and many others).
 

[DTalk]

bitserve is correct.
My goal is to encourage them to discuss various technical things about Bitcoin because most of our local users have limited knowledge on bitcoin. I want them to encourage learning everything so that next generation don't be mislead by wrong information.
I don't have a lot of merit. I have asked everyone in my local thread to merit the good post. I have no goal of getting merit, I have no goal of engaging with merit abuse too. Everyone is free to check my post history. I have tried to do this by running a local forum but that project was failed. That's why I'm trying to discuss things here.

Thank you everyone.