Since I am not sure if this is allowed or not in the forum, let me ask in this thread: Is it allowed for a merit source to send a lot of merits to announcement threads for coins for which he is the bounty manager and translator of the announcements?
I know some people send merits to announcement threads for their favorite coins as just "like". I do not like that type of use as it is not suitable for the original aim of the merit system, but I admit that ultimately how to use merits depends on each person... However, what about if a merit source is sending merits to the announcement threads for which he is the bounty manager and translator? To me, it smells like an abuse of merits.
I found this account
Anon11073https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=969327has sent 25 merits to announcement threads:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1847292https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2933939https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2821548https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2825011From his post history, I found that he is actually the bounty manager for one of these coins.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2843223.0https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2843224.0He is also a translator of the another coin's announcement thread.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2719420.0Actually his post history shows that more than 90% of his recent posts are shit posts to these threads... so he has earned a few merits so far. Wait, then why did he have a lot of smerits sent to the announcement threads? I noticed one possibility... he must be a merit source. My guess was correct, there was a clear transition in his merit sending history on March 20, and by checking his posts around the date, I found this post
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=877.msg32817882#msg32817882in which he disclosed that he was designated as a merit source. According to google translate:
"Today, three merit sources including me have been added to the Japanese board."
In addition, I found he is the moderator of the local board!
I do not know why this guy was designated as a merit source and moderator... he is absolutely not suitable for a merit source... you can check his merit history and that he wasted most of his source merits to the announcement threads... I think it is an abuse of merit, but is it allowed for merit sources to use their merits in such a way?
Update 1:This merit source continues to award announcement threads... Here is new award, he abused 5 source merits in addition to the above 25:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2416310.0
Update 2:I am sure he is a merit source as
1) he wrote that he was designated as a merit source,
2) there is a clear transition of his merit sending history, and
3) from direct calculation below:
Using the formula theymos provided and taking his rank Sr. Member and his register date March 15, 2017, his initial smerit should be less than
9.5 months / 12 months * 0.25 * 250 = 50
He has earned 16 merits = 8 smerits so far so his smerit is less than 58 in total if he is not a source. However, he has sent 92 smerits in total, so he is a source.
The exact formula was:
yearActivity = activity in the last ~year, max 378
freeMerit = the merit (not sMerit) you started with
modifier =
0.1 if member
0.2 if full member
0.25 if sr member
0.35 if hero
0.4 if legendary
return (yearActivity/378) * modifier * freeMerit