[POLL] Should there be a 🍀 BTC AIRDROP 🍀 to Bitcointalk Merit Sources

[vapourminer]

if i got paid it would become like a job.

im retired. nah.

[1714768154]

1714768154

[OgNasty]

if i got paid it would become like a job.

im retired. nah.

If you were paid something like 1 satoshi per merit distributed, it wouldn’t be much of an income to consider it a job. It would be more of an educational incentive to fire up a lightning node while further incentivizing users to make good posts. I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t bother setting up a node (maybe custodial wallets could be excluded somehow) and the tiny income of 1 sat per merit wouldn’t be enough to impact the forum’s finances in any way. This forum doesn’t really support the lightning network though (I don’t blame it) so this idea seems unlikely.

[Coyster]

There is no need to incentivise MS's with Bitcoin airdrop no matter how little the money is; it is much better for it to continue being a free contribution they make to the forum, MS's could start getting paid now and users would start complaining that MS's aren't doing the job the forum is paying them for if they are not receiving merits, these people wouldn't consider how little the payment is before making such complaints.

Having said that, MS's are doing a great contribution for the forum, but so are non-MS's who are also involved in making sure that the merit system lives on by distrubuting their Smerits to great posts, people could also start a case that regular non-MS's also deserve payment should the forum start paying MS's, it is prolly best to let things be for now.

[Welsh]

Whenever monetary reward is involved, you need a much stricter process selecting those for the job, since there will be bias involved. That means very likely the amount of merit sources reduces, and therefore the spread of merit reduces. Meaning, we're being counter productive, and making it too hard to users to rank up.

It's best to keep it how it is. Users can ask to become a source merit, and they can also ask to be removed. theymos will also remove users that are inactive periodically. I think that system works well enough to be honest. Plus, we have users that are merit sources that want to spread merit, for good intentions rather than just earning a buck. The system at the moment is working pretty well I think.

[Asiska02]

To be honest, this is a very welcome idea, although it can appear biased if you ignore the time-consuming measures that must be taken to select the right people. Because of the financial incentive, individuals may also wish to apply to become a merit source, meriting unqualified posts without giving them a second thought in exchange for a bigger distribution of merit. That wouldn't be good for the forum, right?

Perhaps, just perhaps, since it is voluntary work, let it remain that way, and if the admin ever wishes to reward those who have been active with the work, then it should be at their own judgment and not publicizing it because it might pose some dangers to the quality of posts being merited to forum users.

[suchmoon]

The topic of the thread is as stupid as it gets but seems like a good test as to how some people see the forum and what drives them to participate here. Not very surprising though.

[m2017]

The title speaks for itself, one of the most thankless, time consuming and controversial jobs, for better or worse, Merit system has been in place for almost 5 years now, with absolutely no reward / compensation for the Merit Sources who have done overall an ok job to maintain some semblance of meritocracy in this legendary forum.

What do you guys think ? I believe when used constructively and virtuously, merit is a fantastic tool to encourage higher quality and intellect in crypto space, and a direct reward by the admin (@theymos) towards well performing sources would be a great incentive and accolade for them to do an even better job.

And you didn't forget to ask the opinion of the admin about this?

In fact, the idea of rewarding for the role of a merit source is not without meaning. Perhaps this would attract new people who want to take on the duties of a merit source. Need to discuss this issue in more detail.

Suppose the administration of the bitcointalk and the BTC-community will accept this idea. What reward would OP (any forum user) offer for performing the functions of a merit source?

[Little Mouse]

how some people see the forum and what drives them to participate here. Not very surprising though.

This has always been a transparent case and nothing of surprising though users pretend to be something else like caring, sharing lol. I wish you understand "Masud valo hoye jao". Masuds never get changed. They repeat themselves  

Suppose the administration of the bitcointalk and the BTC-community will accept this idea. What reward would OP (any forum user) offer for performing the functions of a merit source?

OP said BTC airdrop in the title. I can only remember about the scam giveaway on Twitter which claims to giveaway free BTC while scamming the noobs lol.

[OgNasty]

how some people see the forum and what drives them to participate here. Not very surprising though.

She’s literally getting paid to promote a money laundering operation and trying to question other people’s motives for participating here… Total scum. Remove the signature if you want to sit on a high horse about why people post here, otherwise you just come off as a hypocrite that doesn’t want to see anyone else earn pennies for helping provide value to the forum while you get paid to spam here in order to help criminals launder their funds.

[suchmoon]

She’s literally getting paid to promote a money laundering operation and trying to question other people’s motives for participating here… Total scum. Remove the signature if you want to sit on a high horse about why people post here, otherwise you just come off as a hypocrite that doesn’t want to see anyone else earn pennies for helping provide value to the forum while you get paid to spam here in order to help criminals launder their funds.

If it's spam then report my posts to moderators instead if this chickenshit third-party "I pretend that I don't read your posts" response.

It's quite telling that your argument for getting paid as a merit source is a bouquet of fallacies. Luckily there are many truly dedicated merit sources who don't share your mercantile approach to the forum and are willing to "provide value" without necessarily expecting bitcoins in return.

[Mpamaegbu]

What do you guys think ?

I think the request you're making is a needless one. Merit sources (MS) should ordinarily find fulfilment in what they voluntarily do. You don't know what it feels like having the ability to bestow merit on posts you come across and think they're merit worthy. I feel bad whenever I'm not able to award merit on posts I think deserve it. So, to some extent, I think MS are already in a good place and their jobs aren't even that cumbersome when compared to those who fight spam or link accounts to one another as a way of sanitising the whole process.

[KingsDen]

I percieve that you have an untold bitterness towards either merit sources, or the merit system itself or in a rare scenario towards anyone who says good things about merit sources.
I remember when I raised this topic -
Are you a merit source? Thanks for your sacrifice.. You called it merit begging even when my merit count is higher than my activity count by a good margin.

Now, another fellow made a harmless suggestions about rewarding merit sources which you would have simply objected, but you chosed to call him and his suggestions stupid and yet merits were given you for calling someone stupid.

The topic of the thread is as stupid as it gets but seems like a good test as to how some people see the forum and what drives them to participate here. Not very surprising though.

I don't know if you had some issues with the merit system before, or you are a merit source (I doubt) or likely you had been a merit source and applied to be removed or you were delisted by theymos. One of the above could be the case because the bitterness is eminent.

[_BlackStar]

I think the request you're making is a needless one.

Even before the polls closed, we could already conclude that the OP's idea wasn't very well supported. This volunteer work should be valued more than money, but not money or bitcoin. Something like badge could be suggested ^{[even if it's not the best proposal considering privacy],} but honestly I'd really like to see merit source get more recognition.

[avp2306]

If there's a sponsor will compensate each merit source then why not? well maybe this is good to have since people given that status exert extra ordinary effort to give contribution to the forum.


But if you are looking for theymos to do that and give compensation to the selected merit source user I provably can say that this is not sustainable in long run since for sure for continuously doing this forum will lose a lot of money due to this plan and might admins might not have enough money to spend on operating cost of this forum.

[suchmoon]

The topic of the thread is as stupid as it gets but seems like a good test as to how some people see the forum and what drives them to participate here. Not very surprising though.

I don't know if you had some issues with the merit system before, or you are a merit source (I doubt) or likely you had been a merit source and applied to be removed or you were delisted by theymos. One of the above could be the case because the bitterness is eminent.

So you know nothing, but you think I'm bitter

Except my post in not against the merit system in any way, but against the attempt to "monetize" it. A solution for a problem that doesn't exist. Likely to create many new problems.

[Adbitco]

Sincerely speaking it's a serious matter but we all seems to see it as a common task, sometimes I have thought about these people working as staff, mod and admins or even those that fight against Spam across the forum what is their benefits as they work, here is a well known forum with over millions of user and if possible hundreds of person signing up everyday by day.

Well I can't just conclude it all but I think only staff and merits source could explain what they sees and what they received as a compensation which deep inside they are not being rewarded.

Lastly one other thought that came into me is that, here we are a community with mission to carry out the evangelical work of bitcoin which is to spread the max adoption, acceptance, recognition of BTC to make its purposes fully come to reality as an alternative means of payment and many more. Yes today it has been achieved so I don't think there should be rewards but as a way which the platform provides job across is fair enough for everyone here to get engaged with.

That is my little thought.. so I believe Theymos has it all to say.

[Z-tight]

Sincerely speaking it's a serious matter but we all seems to see it as a common task, sometimes I have thought about these people working as staff, mod and admins or even those that fight against Spam across the forum what is their benefits as they work, here is a well known forum with over millions of user and if possible hundreds of person signing up everyday by day.

Payment is not what will make it seem like a serious task, every member in the forum appreciates what merit sources, staffs, reporters and mods do, but it does not have to feel like an employment opportunity for it to be appreciated. Their benefit is that this is a community, and if you can assist or volunteer in your little way to its development, you'll be appreciated by the community in some other way than payment.

Satoshi who did most of the work wasn't paid, but even went away without asking for anything. By the way, i have checked and mods and staffs are paid something small as volunteers when the forum sold ad space, i do not know about now.

About 25% of ad income goes to the forum moderators as thanks for all of their work. (There are many moderators, so each moderator gets only a small amount -- moderators should be seen as volunteers, not employees.)

[Jet Cash]

I'm a merit source, and I don't think I should be paid for awarding merits. I'm extremely erratic, and I don't want to change, so I don't think I deserve payment for my behaviour, or lack of it.

Logically, if one is paying merit sources, then high merit earners that award their smerits should be paid, and I don't agree with that either.