Merit giveaway is allowed in a price prediction contest?

[Myleschetty]

I don't see anything bad about the option provided in the event, and I believe I once saw a topic created by user Nutildah where he gave people 25 merits or so for a certain task (which I don't remember correctly) when I was going through this forum.

Yes I did do that, I gave away a lot more merits than that to several accounts that were trying to rank up. Some of them turned out OK, some of them not. This was several years ago, like 2018 or 2019. I feel like the forum is plagued with a much worse alt account problem these days so I wouldn't run this contest in today's environment. (Also my thing wasn't really a contest so much as a "merit scholarship program.")

I know people just want to do something nice but it seems like any bit of goodwill exhibited here is instantly taken advantage of by people with no morals. Case in point the last pumpkin carving contest. Its not an excuse for giving up on humanity, but contest runners should be aware that such petty manipulators exist.

I agree with you on that.
Sadly, the manipulators are making things worse for the real participants; this was also the case in the actual world. However, we shouldn't let that stop us from taking action for the good of the community. The contest might not run the same way as it did previously, but at least it could be run in accordance with what is currently taking place in the forum.

[FFrankie]

What’s really wrong with people giving away merit as a prize if the entry is a written post? Isn’t that the whole point of merit to encourage better posts?

[EarnOnVictor]

-snip-
If I am wrong, I would like to be educated on this topic.    

I'm just seeing this, and I think I need to contribute my quota.

It feels strange to me at first, even before reading your post, to be sending merits to winners in this manner, since the merit itself is meant for more reasonable purposes. But at the same time, if it is not written directly as a violation of the rules (a clear exception), I think we could only argue it back and forth, it can still be overlooked.

In another view, don't you think it's genius to solve a problem or race/predict to win a prize? If merits could be used as appreciation for a quality post, why not appreciate the winner in such a manner? It's not easy to lead, let alone win.

[TypoTonic]

If he finds the 4th best price prediction in his contest to be "helpful" and 50-merit worthy, then so be it.

Ahh, now I get it. I somehow missed this perspective.

It doesn't have to be sent on the prediction post, mindrust can just simply allocate a total of 50 merits to the best post/s of the 4th place winner.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

What’s really wrong with people giving away merit as a prize if the entry is a written post? Isn’t that the whole point of merit to encourage better posts?

What's wrong is that merits should be given for quality posts, which is why the system was invented, and although the perception of quality may be somewhat subjective, writing a number and getting 50 merits if by coincidence what you wrote is the nearest to bitcoin price on a given date has nothing to do with quality.

You can do whatever you want with your money, but when you manage merits in the forum, and even more so if you are a merit source, you are doing so within a system that was designed to encourage quality in what is written, so you should behave accordingly, something that people with the comprehension skills of an amoeba do not seem to understand.

[Tonimez]

There has been several predictions and contests before now and beyond with various awards ranging from monetary to merit rewards. But I have never seen any contest not as little and effortless as price prediction offering 50 merits in rewards. Even though merit sending is voluntary and anyone has their own view about what they want to do with theirs, but releasing 50 merits for a guess work is crazy. Like, 50 merits for the 4th place is worth more than the $100 for the 1st position or has Merit really lost its value??

What was its value before? Do you have a historical chart that shows merit prices? Maybe next contest will be about predicting that one  instead of btc.

However you judge it, sending 50 merits for a guess work still doesn't sit well not to even think that this 50 merits is going to the 4th placed guess work. Merits distinguish quality posts from non quality posts. Even Cooking competitions in some locales take more will power to achieve, the pizza contests, the pumpkin carving, but not many of them (if any) received official 50 merits in rewards. What if the merit is halved say 25 but at least not such number.

[xLays]

After reading this thread, one question came to my mind: what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity. For me, it feels like long term investment, because we all know that most signature campaigns pay more per post for Legendary ranks compared to Hero members, eventhough they have the same signature space.

Do you think the 4th place winner would accept my offer? This is only hypothetical situation. I have no intention of doing something like this in the future.

[memehunter]

After reading this thread, one question came to my mind: what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity. For me, it feels like long term investment, because we all know that most signature campaigns pay more per post for Legendary ranks compared to Hero members, eventhough they have the same signature space.

Do you think the 4th place winner would accept my offer? This is only hypothetical situation. I have no intention of doing something like this in the future.

According to mindrust only top 3 places are in hierarchical order but 4^th place is not in that order, it is a distinctive prize on its own (correct me if I am wrong).
This explanation was given to avoid any perceived money equivalence to merits (which I still believe is there within the nature of prized positions itself, your post also indicate this).

[AakZaki]

(..) what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity. For me, it feels like long term investment, because we all know that most signature campaigns pay more per post for Legendary ranks compared to Hero members, eventhough they have the same signature space.

Do you think the 4th place winner would accept my offer? This is only hypothetical situation. I have no intention of doing something like this in the future.

Without reducing my respect for you, I want to ask you something. In the past from Sr.Member to Hero Member, how did you get your merit? It requires around 250 Merit.

Now in some of your posts it looks like you are ambitious to get it quickly. The more you keep asking about this kind of thing, I think the harder it will be for you to get it.
It’s better if you think of ways without having to ask about it.
You said before that you cannot make constructive posts, but what about informative posts? Didn’t you say you have been on this forum for almost 10 years?

What you need to remember now is that from Hero to Legendary requires a minimum total of 770 Merit, if I’m not mistaken. That means you still need around 128 Merit, and because the merit is random in nature, it could even be more.
Come on bro, be more enthusiastic without asking these things over and over again.

[mindrust]

After reading this thread, one question came to my mind: what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity. For me, it feels like long term investment, because we all know that most signature campaigns pay more per post for Legendary ranks compared to Hero members, eventhough they have the same signature space.

Do you think the 4th place winner would accept my offer? This is only hypothetical situation. I have no intention of doing something like this in the future.

That would be merit trading and the moment you ask the 4th winner about it, you will risk your account getting a negative trust rating permanently because you won’t know if the 4th place winner will follow your suggestion or snitch on you.

Also there is no difference between hero and legendary accounts in terms of payment. Mostly that’s the case.

Third point, since you were accepted to a sig camp already (i see you are carrying a paid sig so I assume that), your post quality is probably above average. That means you’ll be getting some merits eventually for your posts but don’t feel bad if you don’t. Consider yourself at max rank already.

[xLays]

(..) what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity. For me, it feels like long term investment, because we all know that most signature campaigns pay more per post for Legendary ranks compared to Hero members, eventhough they have the same signature space.

Do you think the 4th place winner would accept my offer? This is only hypothetical situation. I have no intention of doing something like this in the future.

Without reducing my respect for you, I want to ask you something. In the past from Sr.Member to Hero Member, how did you get your merit? It requires around 250 Merit.

Now in some of your posts it looks like you are ambitious to get it quickly. The more you keep asking about this kind of thing, I think the harder it will be for you to get it.
It’s better if you think of ways without having to ask about it.
You said before that you cannot make constructive posts, but what about informative posts? Didn’t you say you have been on this forum for almost 10 years?

What you need to remember now is that from Hero to Legendary requires a minimum total of 770 Merit, if I’m not mistaken. That means you still need around 128 Merit, and because the merit is random in nature, it could even be more.
Come on bro, be more enthusiastic without asking these things over and over again.

Respect what?
Kid this thread isn't about me. If you think I'm ambitious to be Legendary Rank I have nothing to do with that (I guess you should too. gal), it's your insight. Also I do not owe you an explanation if I recently some of my post getting some merits.. I never ask for merits but like I have said I'm expecting to get some and that totally different from trading, asking or begging for merits..

But yeah those 250 for me to become Hero Member are most hard earn merit..

[Betwrong]

~ Big man relaxed with your merit, yes $25 is worth more than 50 merit.
You're here pretending but if they check well you'll rather trade your merit than to merit anyone with a good post.

Oh, you think? Get at least one merit yourself before saying things like that.

Merits on bitcointalk are not the same as likes on some other sites. It's actually not that easy to get them.

[arhipova]

so in your opinion 50 merits have less worth then $25

So we’ve finally discovered the exchange rate: 1 merit ≈ half a sandwich.

[EarnOnVictor]

After reading this thread, one question came to my mind: what if I won the 1st prize and tried to trade it with the 4th prize, which is 50 merit? Would that be considered buying merit? As someone who struggles to earn merit, I would probably take that opportunity.

In this case, yes, you should be considered as someone who is desperate to have the merits, and hence, a potential merit buyer.

The difference here is that, the organize of the contest did it with a neutral intention and decided to award the last prize with a 50 merits reward. I see nothing bad in that because it's with a neutral mind towards someone he feels deserving of it. However, the moment you specifically demanded the merits instead of the monetary prize offered for your reward, then you have flipped the narrative, and the psychology has shifted against you.

[virasog]

However you judge it, sending 50 merits for a guess work still doesn't sit well not to even think that this 50 merits is going to the 4th placed guess work. Merits distinguish quality posts from non quality posts. Even Cooking competitions in some locales take more will power to achieve, the pizza contests, the pumpkin carving, but not many of them (if any) received official 50 merits in rewards. What if the merit is halved say 25 but at least not such number.

I don't think giving 50 merit or 25 merit is the point here, the issue is whether this is the right way to get merits ? Let's suppose there is one person who do good posts and earn merits by his writing efforts. On the other hand, the other person got that 50 merits just by predicting something correctly.

One can argue that those cooking or carving competitions also get them merits but they aren't explicitly written that you will get merits for the participation or winning, there the people send the merit to the contributions if they like those efforts.

[Su-asa]

Thread : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5561260.0

I am launching a btc price prediction game for the new year.

Prize Pool:

The prize for the winner will be $100 (the closest prediction)

The second closest prediction will win $50

The third spot's prize is $25

And the fourth will win 50 merits from my main account.

I know you can send merit to whomever you want, but this way? @mrust_mobile, so in your opinion 50 merits have less worth then $25, not to mention that equating merits directly with money should not be allowed in any way, apart from eligibility through normal forum requirements. It is one thing to limit the number of entries on the basis of certain merit (I have no issue with that) but to offer 50 merits just to predict the BTC price is beyond my comprehension. If I am wrong, I would like to be educated on this topic.    

Actually, I don't know if @mrust_mobile is a merit source but what I would say here is that I don't see anything wrong by sending 50merits to anyone. We already know how merits have been distributed in the WHO thread.

If you think anyone who received the 50 merits isn't worth of it, then you have to submit your own predictions to know if you can guess the actual rate Bitcoin will be at the end of the prediction. It's not easy to speculate Bitcoin price so anyone who luckily speculate the accurate amount Bitcoin will be deserves it.

As a matter of fact, the he didn't pay to get the merits his distributing and he has the rights to send to who ever he wants to. Moreover, there are lot of merit giveaway threads in the forum and every op of the giveaway gives to whoever he wants to through posting patterns, any you and I knows that not all the posted every source merits send merits to are good but because they believe is quality that's why they send it thee.

What I'm just trying to say is that anyone who guess the correct price of Bitcoin deserves it, it doesn't matter the position. @mrust_mobile can even decide to send 100 merits to the first person if he wants.

What I think about him is that he's not greedy. Keeping a lot of merit on your account won't profit anything.

[Tyatya]

Thread : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5561260.0

I am launching a btc price prediction game for the new year.

Prize Pool:

The prize for the winner will be $100 (the closest prediction)

The second closest prediction will win $50

The third spot's prize is $25

And the fourth will win 50 merits from my main account.

I know you can send merit to whomever you want, but this way? @mrust_mobile, so in your opinion 50 merits have less worth then $25, not to mention that equating merits directly with money should not be allowed in any way, apart from eligibility through normal forum requirements. It is one thing to limit the number of entries on the basis of certain merit (I have no issue with that) but to offer 50 merits just to predict the BTC price is beyond my comprehension. If I am wrong, I would like to be educated on this topic.    

I think I absolutely agree with you on this matter cause if it is done the other way round the newbies will suffer the most in this space and it's going to start making the site loss some credibility for sure .
Once a competition is set for the hero members upward I think they should have just the price tag and not bargain it with Merit .

[memehunter]

it's going to start making the site loss some credibility for sure .

Ofc, it will be one the consequences. IMO, merit system also serves as a way to differentiate between signal and noise. And this is a classic example to promote noise (whether because of selfless good intentions or personal attainment).

[NotATether]

so in your opinion 50 merits have less worth then $25

So we’ve finally discovered the exchange rate: 1 merit ≈ half a sandwich.

Now I'm wondering how many sandwiches I've given to people in need. 🤔

[owenle]

I know you can send merit to whomever you want, but this way? @mrust_mobile, so in your opinion 50 merits have less worth then $25,

Predicting BTC for 50 merits? At this rate we’ll soon have ‘Guess Satoshi’s shoe size for 100 merits.