Re: Was the forum better before without Merit or is it better now with Merit?
Members, reputable members. Was it better before back then when this forum was without merits or is it better or even much better now with merits? Please explain your answer so users like me can get an idea how it was and what you prefer. 
I can’t give you a perspective on a time when I didn’t exist but, I can as much give you an answer based on what the system was set to archive based on how far it’s gone to achieve that.The merit system came as a way to boost quality in posts and push for more creative writing in the minds of users.
If you see the merit system to have been able to achieve that, then you can agree that, there is a good chance that the forum is far better now than it would have been before the creation of the merit system. If otherwise, then it’s up to you.
Of course there might be a down side to it but, I think the positive out weighs the negotiable and that’s how you measure it. Hardly anyone who seeks to be creative doesn’t expect a feedback and that means, the system is working.