This FAQ sheet below is meant to help all the new joiners to understand the what, why and how behind the Merit system. I hope this will serve as a great starting point for each one of you to become a valued contributor of the community.
Merit:
In addition to Activity you now need Merit to achieve each rank. The required Merit is detailed below:
Brand new: 0
Newbie: 0
Jr Member:
Member: 10
Full Member: 100
Sr. Member: 250
Hero Member: 500
Legendary: 1000
Merit FAQ:
What is Merit?
Merit is a new system created in order to reward quality contributions to the forum. Now to rise through ranks you will also need to acquire Merit in addition to Activity.
How do I receive merit?
You are awarded merit by people of the community if they find your post helpful or informative.
How do I send Merit?
There is a +Merit button at the top right of every post. To give merit click on it and follow the instructions.
What is the difference between Merit and sMerit?
There are two types of Merit. You cannot send your merits, just sMerit. For every Merit you receive you will have 0.5 spendable merit to reward posts as you see fit.
Can I ask for merit?
There is no need to do this and this behaviour is usually seen as 'merit begging' which is frowned upon by the community and may lead to you receiving negative feedback. Keep making quality, constructive posts and you will surely be rewarded over time.
Can I sell merit?
Selling merit is disallowed.
Can I give merit to my alt accounts?
No, this is frowned upon and will almost certainly lead to you receiving negative feedback if discovered.
Can I be demerited or lose merit?
No, not currently. Even if your post is removed the merit will still stay.
What is a merit source?
There are a certain number of special Merit sources who receive additional amounts of merit to give away. The list is not publicly available but is know to Staff.
How do I become a merit source?
1. Be a somewhat established member.
2. Collect TEN posts written in the last couple of months that have not received nearly enough merit for how good they are, and post quotes for them all in a new Meta thread.
3. We will take a look at your history and maybe make you a source.
Source of information: Theymos (link: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/merit-new-rank-requirements-2818350)
Is there a limit on how many merits I can send?
Yes. You can give a max of 50 merit to a user every 30 days.
Merit stats: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=merit;stats
