Why go through the stress only to get banned!
I see a new generation of newbies so eager to earn merits and scale the ranks in the least possible time. This is one reason why, I admire the activity system of the forum as, though dependent on your activities, its also not entirely independent of those activities as, it follows a stipulated time in its accreditation. Unlike merits that could be abused with an intent although, they both (merits and activities) play there roles so well, each controlling the other. I have seen few proactive users grow so fast on the forum and when you look at there profile to see what's the trick, you become greatly amazed at the kind of contents they put out for the ranks they hold. At one glance, you would note the effort and validity in them contents. A few other beginners possibly have noted this but sadly, instead of putting in work, they come with a different approach/intent solely orchestrated to
earn or rub users of them smerits. Trying to drink from the same cup as the proactive once but, with an approach that is rather cunning and elusive.
Why create topics solely for getting merits and scaling the ranks?Yeah, merits and ranks are desirable on the forum in other to have some opportunities (
signatures, creating reputable service threads in the service subboard) and have some forum functions like (
uploading: photos, signatures, avatars, getting your wait time on posting increased or off and even sending a pm) open for you but then, what becomes of the case when you acquire all these and learn nothing on the way.
It's funny how they seem to know so well, possibly to have been oriented or even discovered it themselves of the plagiarism rule on the forum being beginners, stay conscious to the fact on it being outlawed on the forum and still somehow, it becomes the very reason most of them exit with the backdoor. What's even more surprising is how, they seem to propagate a seed of laziness by trying to put links to the source to escape being guilty and to some extent, its pretty effective but, its that how to be proactive and share ideas in actual. Yeah, your not in the wrong, as you don't take credit for someone's work but share in it to have researched and found it useful but,
what happens to your own ideas?
Is it that, you don't trust your brain to produce anything useful?
When your interested in a skill that could aid you (in this case, writing), you learn! Otherwise, why be on a discussion platform and choose not to just stay on the sidelines and read while, asking questions where need be for clarifications! You don't force writing or being proactive on yourself and end up flooding the forum with threads that only bare links. When it gets too frequent of which it eventually does, it becomes a problem. The forum is going to end up having undigested information that's isn't going to do both the author and community no good. For a fact, keeping a keen eye on threads across boards and your likely to find a thread that discusses just what your intent might be and should it provoke a response for which a link to previously read information might shade a light for better appreciation, you do the needful. Not blankly pasting a 50-100% copied content from the web.
Merit and the activity systems weren't just introduced to tame spammers and encourage quality posts only, its in a way, supposed to encourage originality of content as well. The forum is a discussion platform, it allows everyone an equal opportunity of presentation or contribution of a unique idea on a subject being discussed and even avails you the chance to start your own subject or thread. It often don't have to come off some text on the web with some link(s) to the source attached . It could come from your previously and continued digested information or encounters, all organised into a beautiful peice of write up. That would be the more appreciated than, lifting something off the web, add a link to the source and expect some appraisal for doing so. If you must or should have need of a content not of your authorship to add some glamour to your work, it's okay to lift and site it but, it doesn't have to rate upto 50%, when subjected to a plagiarism test. Infact, I would have loved to reduce that stance to 30%.
Now ask yourself this;
Of what use will it be
earning or should I say rubbing users of them smerits in the forum and eventually get banned for plagiarism?
In some cases, it's on the same thread or response that got merited that these users get banned! It's a waste, a big waste to the user and then the forum as, users for which might have benefited from such smerit are greatly deprived of them (as: merits can't be retrieved once given for both active, dormant and banned users).
For this reasonI urge all you beginners to
Don't stop contributing but instead,
Pause to give it yourself the time you need to
Read more to grasps or get a better understanding and only then should you
Contribute. It would do you a lot of good and you gain a lot by seeking to know and add to the bulk of knowledge by your contributions to help others understand the more better. Ranking up is possible in the forum but, it doesn't resides only in the hands of those creating threads everywhere you turn. If you do that, you might make a mistake and bitcointalkforum never forgets nor forgive.
N/B:This is in no way to discourage you from posting or making responses but, to urge you to be more original and come up with an intent that goes beyond merits and ranking up.
To play by the rules (be it official or unofficial). Know there are ethics, build yours in accordance to to is obtainable and abide by it.
Maybe you can have merits and ranking up on the sideline but not as an ought most priority.
Gett your intents for being on the forum right and it might help you in the long run. Be a better forum user!
