I don't know you at all, but i already feel you may be quite biased here. I mean just look how much Merit you (a Legendary Rank) have been awarded in just a few meager days. This is in no way indicative of a typical user or even a power user.
Given that I've reached the top rank quite a long time ago, there is little to no meaning behind receiving any extra Merit points. Why would that makes me biased? 
Topic: Merit & new rank requirements - page 240. (Read 167726 times)
Tbh. I don't like this system too much, because it draws away my attention from the actual discussion. I don't care about ranks, I just don't want to think about it. Now everytime someone posts, you have to think about whether giving merit or not, and also looking if you received any merit.
Disagreed. It does the exact opposite. If you do not care about ranks, you probably might not care about merit either. You don't have to give anyone anything should you not want to, and since ranks aren't important to you then don't care about whether you're going to receive merit either. The other thing that has been said many times I think ... it should not open a new tab.
At the start of this thread, it was explicitly asked for and supported by many (Vod asked for it).On the other hand it does already take a very long time to go though the ranks any way (1.5 years or so for Hero for example) so maybe it wont be that uncommon to achieve so many merit points over that time span if you're not just making spam posts. I think it will all depend on how easily people give points out but I think it's an interesting experiment at least and I will be following it's progress.
It should be pretty easy to reach the required amount of Merit for Hero rank in that time span, given that you are creating quality posts. I don't know you at all, but i already feel you may be quite biased here. I mean just look how much Merit you (a Legendary Rank) have been awarded in just a few meager days. This is in no way indicative of a typical user or even a power user.
Tbh. I don't like this system too much, because it draws away my attention from the actual discussion. I don't care about ranks, I just don't want to think about it. Now everytime someone posts, you have to think about whether giving merit or not, and also looking if you received any merit.
Disagreed. It does the exact opposite. If you do not care about ranks, you probably might not care about merit either. You don't have to give anyone anything should you not want to, and since ranks aren't important to you then don't care about whether you're going to receive merit either. The other thing that has been said many times I think ... it should not open a new tab.
At the start of this thread, it was explicitly asked for and supported by many (Vod asked for it).On the other hand it does already take a very long time to go though the ranks any way (1.5 years or so for Hero for example) so maybe it wont be that uncommon to achieve so many merit points over that time span if you're not just making spam posts. I think it will all depend on how easily people give points out but I think it's an interesting experiment at least and I will be following it's progress.
It should be pretty easy to reach the required amount of Merit for Hero rank in that time span, given that you are creating quality posts. 
After having a few days to think about it I'm on the fence about the whole system. I get why something like this was needed to limit spammers and it is fine for us older members who have a lot of merit by default but I think it will take even quite a decent poster quite some some to achieve the rank with merit points, though at least users are now forced to actually make quality contributions if they want to pass through the ranks other than just post spam week after week until they have been here long enough to level up. On the other hand it does already take a very long time to go though the ranks any way (1.5 years or so for Hero for example) so maybe it wont be that uncommon to achieve so many merit points over that time span if you're not just making spam posts. I think it will all depend on how easily people give points out but I think it's an interesting experiment at least and I will be following it's progress.
Tbh. I don't like this system too much, because it draws away my attention from the actual discussion. I don't care about ranks, I just don't want to think about it. Now everytime someone posts, you have to think about whether giving merit or not, and also looking if you received any merit.
The other thing that has been said many times I think ... it should not open a new tab. That is actually an incentive to NOT click the button, because it takes away my attention from the content completely. If it would just be a button that updates in place, like a "Like" button ... that would be ok. But I would also like to take back my like in case I accidentally clicked on it, instead of the quote button.
The other thing that has been said many times I think ... it should not open a new tab. That is actually an incentive to NOT click the button, because it takes away my attention from the content completely. If it would just be a button that updates in place, like a "Like" button ... that would be ok. But I would also like to take back my like in case I accidentally clicked on it, instead of the quote button.
Senior members have no incentive to donate Merit points.
This will make this new system fail.
This will make this new system fail.
I've given out a few so far, but have yet to receive any -- so i will run out soon..
Am starting to lean towards your proposition.
Senior members have no incentive to donate Merit points.
This will make this new system fail.
This will make this new system fail.
I've given out 24 Merit points so far, I'd have given a lot more if I had them. My incentive is to make this system work and reduce the number of times I click on a thread I'm following because it's an interesting topic only to find someone laid a turd in it.
I think one of the main problems is that lower ranks have no (or too few) sMerit to send. I got 1 sMerit for the start. So I only can mark 1 post as usefull. Then I am finished.
So all newbies, jr members and members are not able to send sMerit when someone answers their questions for example. When I post helpful answers to beginners (or also to members), I have to hope that a member with high rank also reads my answer and perhaps send Merit. But in most cases I will not get any Merit for my help I think.
So all newbies, jr members and members are not able to send sMerit when someone answers their questions for example. When I post helpful answers to beginners (or also to members), I have to hope that a member with high rank also reads my answer and perhaps send Merit. But in most cases I will not get any Merit for my help I think.
I hope I am not yet too late to give out my Opinion on the new merit system. I am really in favor of this system as this will encourage all users to write good quality posts. I have no issues with that, as that is very attainable. What I am worried is this system is prone to gaming and abuse. For example a person who has a lot of merits can give one person an instant 20 or more merits for just one post, might be good or bad post it depends on the one giving the merit how many he can give as long as he has a lot of merits. My suggestion is to limit the merits to 1 merit per instance per person per post. So for example I have a really good post, I can only receive a maximum of 1 merit from one person for that post. So If i gain 100 persons who thinks my post is good then that is the only time I can get 100 merits. I would also suggest if admin can lower the merit requirements to I guess 20 - 30 increments per rank so it can be much attainable, especially for those people who are still starting out this will really promote them to post good content at the same time still motivated to rank up.
Senior members have no incentive to donate Merit points.
This will make this new system fail.
This will make this new system fail.
This kind of system is unfair to the community. Why?
1. Only the higher ranks have the ability to give more merits than the lower rank.
2. Majority of the members will tends to abuse it. (Give me a merit and i'll give yours in your alt account).
3. It will only create another offense or another SCAM for buying and selling Merits.
4. Many quality post specially low ranks are taken for granted ( and i know this comment will taken for granted by many because this is a newbie account) unless you know the person or the account holder.
5. Demerit also needs to be implemented to create a balance if @Theymos is really serious of eradicating shit posting or spam.
I DARE those so called Legendary and Heroes to agree with me if you have BALLS enough (only people who have BALLS will quote and agree) and you are really serious to eliminate shit posters.
I'm also calling all DT's to agree with me and lets finish this shit posting for good.
EDIT:
Looks like my comment is misunderstood
ACTIVITY or POST = MERIT (to be fair with all ranks)
DEMERIT will be deducted to Merit and can only be used for spam post and shitpost ( the section should have a reason for giving demerit)
1. Only the higher ranks have the ability to give more merits than the lower rank.
2. Majority of the members will tends to abuse it. (Give me a merit and i'll give yours in your alt account).
3. It will only create another offense or another SCAM for buying and selling Merits.
4. Many quality post specially low ranks are taken for granted ( and i know this comment will taken for granted by many because this is a newbie account) unless you know the person or the account holder.
5. Demerit also needs to be implemented to create a balance if @Theymos is really serious of eradicating shit posting or spam.
I DARE those so called Legendary and Heroes to agree with me if you have BALLS enough (only people who have BALLS will quote and agree) and you are really serious to eliminate shit posters.
I'm also calling all DT's to agree with me and lets finish this shit posting for good.
EDIT:
Looks like my comment is misunderstood
ACTIVITY or POST = MERIT (to be fair with all ranks)
DEMERIT will be deducted to Merit and can only be used for spam post and shitpost ( the section should have a reason for giving demerit)
In the few days this has been going on, I havent seen anyone outside of this thread use it.. And I dont find any motivation to use it either. You expect anyone to rank up with this shit?
There are already multiple threads which have spread merit.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;stats=toptopicsat
And I am pretty confident that the merit sources need some time to go through posts and select merit worthy ones.
In the few days this has been going on, I havent seen anyone outside of this thread use it.. And I dont find any motivation to use it either. You expect anyone to rank up with this shit?
150 additional merits to go from full member to senior member seems excessive and unfair frankly to those of us that were almost there. It will take years to reach that.
How cute...I am a potential Legendary member (only missing the post count) and I got only 500 Merit instead of 1000.
So be happy that you only got screwed by less then 150
Well B4RF, you have been a forum member almost as long as me, so you are correct that your post count has caused you to not move up in ranks, and if you had been at least minimally active in ever two week activity period, you would have earned enough activity points to have become legendary a year ago (something like that).
So, yeah, none of us knew this change was coming, but those of us who remained active benefited by this unexpected change based on activity level (which includes posting regularly).
i've been a member nearly a year longer than you, but I did take a hiatus from posting for 18 months after some losses to scams, (ASICMINER & LABCOIN) I am not moaning about it though, just see it as a challenge to earn the merits needed.
Some of these newbies haven't been through the rise and fall of bitcoin like some of us.. $250-$80 in a matter of hours, MTGOX going pop! SR going down... all these things don't matter to the newbies moaning as they feel entitled, like spoiled little children.
if you can type a coherent post, and be positive and helpful in the community then senior guys and sources will splash Merits.. its not rocket science..
Hahahahaha...
I had not noticed that you were a member of the forum a year long than me, but your explanation makes sense, and yes, I see the date in your forum profile.
So, yeah, there is nothing wrong with having disagreements with a system, yet you are correct that a whining approach is likely to get you no where quickly. There are also ways to be innovative, such as the level up approach that you took. Of course, not everyone is going to agree with it, and some people will even dislike you for it, but it still seems to be a vehicle to attempt for you to make some of your points to encourage positive posts, and those points/goals are not contrary to those of the forum (in fact they line up).
Also, the point has been made several times, that if you merely want to read posts, you don't necessarily need to rank up, but sometimes if you want to be "taken more seriously" in your posts, then rank does seem to have its benefits- especially in a place like this that has a decent number of disingenuous posters (otherwise known as trolls).
I am not a fan of hierarchies, nor on forums neither in life, but if you find yourself immerged in a hierarcy then you have to play the game and if a twist in the rules suddenly makes the system look unfair, then it sucks. The merit system is a good idea but it has been implemented so as so induce in most of the people the feeling they have been screwed. This would have not happened, had the people received one merit for every point of activity. That would have been fair (or it would be fair, it can still be corrected) and 90% of complains would fade away. As so many others I should have become a Hero tomorrow, now it is likely to take years. BTW I'd be a Legendary myself already hadn't I left the world or cryptos and this forum for a few years our of frustration of things which had damaged me in 2014, just like it happened to TMAN. But that's of course is nobody's fault but mine.
Do the consumers here not find this new hurdle for advancement a little humorous? I mean if anything it just made my less than stellar account worth so much more than before. I can't wait for the offers for space in my signature line...If only I didn't post so few merit worthy posts, oh that's right it doesn't matter.
-PoolMinor
I've given you some merit because you answered questions with links to explanations. I do not mind giving merit to such posts, unless the question has been answered a million times already by other members.-PoolMinor
oh but that is a waste of merit.. he is already a Legendary member, not fair... not fair.. I need to be paid for my sig space. That cant happen now as the new unfair Illuminati rules are in place... moan moan moan..
Sorry that was sarcasm for all those who don't understand. I think its ace that people are getting merits for humor - its part of the system to make this whole forum more enjoyable
I've given you some merit because you answered questions with links to explanations. I do not mind giving merit to such posts, unless the question has been answered a million times already by other members.
Well thank you very much! I look forward to helping others when the time comes.
Do the consumers here not find this new hurdle for advancement a little humorous? I mean if anything it just made my less than stellar account worth so much more than before. I can't wait for the offers for space in my signature line...If only I didn't post so few merit worthy posts, oh that's right it doesn't matter.
-PoolMinor
I've given you some merit because you answered questions with links to explanations. I do not mind giving merit to such posts, unless the question has been answered a million times already by other members. -PoolMinor
I think that there are a couple of points here that I could elaborate on, but I don't claim to know everything either, even if I have spent more hours on the forum.
Regarding activity, I think that if you are averaging more than 14 posts per two weeks, then you will get all of the 14 activity points for each activity period even if you only post a couple of posts in the most recent activity period. However, when you start to go below a 14 posts per two weeks average, then you receive fewer activity points. Something like that. So I have mostly kept my average up above 14 per two weeks, and I think that there was only a few two week periods that I did not post anything, so I did not receive any activity points for those few two week periods.
Regarding activity, I think that if you are averaging more than 14 posts per two weeks, then you will get all of the 14 activity points for each activity period even if you only post a couple of posts in the most recent activity period. However, when you start to go below a 14 posts per two weeks average, then you receive fewer activity points. Something like that. So I have mostly kept my average up above 14 per two weeks, and I think that there was only a few two week periods that I did not post anything, so I did not receive any activity points for those few two week periods.
As you already suspected, you are wrong on this one
You can find the calculation for activity here
The activity number is determined in this way:
time = number of two-week periods in which you've posted since your registration
activity = min(time * 14, posts)
time = number of two-week periods in which you've posted since your registration
activity = min(time * 14, posts)
Lets say you have a new account which does only one post in his first two-week period, this account would have an activity of 1 but his time variable would already be one which results into a potential activity of 14 for his account.
So if this account would make 27 or more post in his next two-week period he would have an activity of 28.
Therefore its enough to make at least one post in one period to maintain an increase of your activity but to actually make it increase you would have to make many more posts.
And sadly thats the case for my account
I dont even know my potential activity. There has been a website which was able to calculate that by using your post history I think, but it is no longer online.
I've posted an infographic that explains Merit in this thread: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/heres-a-brief-infographic-that-explains-merit-2840413
Thanks, where can you see that listed?
There's a bunch of stats at:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;stats
Well, isn’t that interesting. I did glance at that before but I never thought about what the stats are showing. That’s really great, you can see some of the best posters at work.
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