I don't know how decentralized it really is, but IMO the DT system is much worse than it used to be even if only because so many barely-known members make it onto the list, and I'm not so sure that's a good thing. At least before the system was extremely strict and it was hard to get on even DT2, much less DT1; now it's a free-for-all. That's why I've cleared out my trust list entirely and don't pay attention to any of it anymore.
The biggest problem causing DT issues are laziness and a lack of education about the DT system in general.
When it comes to a lack of education about the DT system, we have several abusers here:
- People being active on various platforms / barely active members. Such members only write a few dozen comments per year and most of them dont know much about specific rules on Bitcointalk let alone DT and DT standards.
- Quite a bunch of members here are just active on Bitcointalk to earn a few bucks from signature campaigns and a green trusted account looks much better to get accepted into a campaign (or a better paying one). They dont really care for DT standards and just want to push their accounts.
- Lazy uneducated trolls
- Outright scammers
In addition, we also have flags now, which are even more unknown to some of our uninterested / shitposting forum members.
So, yes: a bigger degree of decentralization is prone to get abused but I would consider the benefits to be much more valuable for the community overally.
People just need to be educated on how DT works before giving out feedbacks
And DT members should distrust abusers quickly.
The feedback given here by mr.relax does look to be a misuse of the trust system, but even if I were inclined to ~ him, it'd take more than one wrongly-given feedback to move my hand. That was true for Vod and/or Lauda (can't remember) when one or both started a pattern of bad trust page paint jobs. Anyone can screw up once or twice, but that doesn't mean they should be bumped off of DT at the drop of a hat, you know?
Since mr.relax has also left a neutral trust for GazetaBitcoin, where he claims GazetaBitcoin would have left a "bad trust" for him (which is not true because it's just neutral), he's showing that he's quite clueless about DT and in my opinion, people being unfit for DT should be distrusted immediately to keep DT as clean as possible.
If he's willing to learn about DT and apologizes for his abuse,
maybe it would be an option to stop distrusting him.
I'm always open to review DT issues when people are admitting their mistakes.