Quote from: The Sceptical Chymist on Today at 01:56:42 AM

Yeah, that seems like some blatant ass-kissing to me. If a merit count of 4646 is anything special, then any arbitrary merit count is as well (unless I'm missing the significance of that particular number). In addition, there's no reason why DYING_SOUL had to "celebrate" someone else's merit "achievement". The fact that he chose yahoo62278 to do it for? Yep, more evidence of ass-kissing and most likely hope for merit-granting.

There are far too many examples to go through that are clearly merit hunters congratulating other members (granted which is part of the rules) in their hope to receive merits by unmemorable numbers such as "4646" alongside ridiculous comments such as "Congratulations man! 4646 seems like a good record"

Quote from: The Sceptical Chymist on Today at 01:56:42 AM

That thread should probably get locked if you ask me. I might have posted in it once or twice, but it seems to have attracted merit beggars and honestly it's just a big jerk-off thread that doesn't need to exist anymore.

Most probably I also posted there once or twice, I cannot recall properly but would it not be fantastic if there was a no-merit rule for those types of threads. It would basically drive all the account farmers away and we would be left with just a handful members making meaningful posts in them occasionally.

Quote from: The Sceptical Chymist on Today at 01:56:42 AM

Quote from: JollyGood on Today at 12:02:13 AM

Is there anything else that you think could/should be considered being added to those sorts of threads to restrict the growth of farmed account operators whilst still facilitating the process that the OPs of those threads intended for genuine accounts?

That question has been in play for years, my man. There's not much the community can do by itself except to ignore threads that are magnets for shitposters and merit beggars and--more importantly--to not hand out merits to members who clearly don't deserve them. Only Theymos has the power to make rules that stick.

I think we both know he will not engage on a topic such as the one on hand therefore his input (or possible input) can be counted out. If threads similar to these were created in the Reputation board at least they could be self-moderated and could help keep nefarious actors out but that is a different matter altogether.

Such is the desperation of the account farmers to enrol as many accounts as possible on campaigns, they are trying to get to higher ranks as fast as possible as they compete with others to fill vacancies as soon as they become available. The threads mentioned in the OP are victims to the greed of account farmers whether they find merits there or not.

Quote from: yahoo62278 on Today at 01:59:52 AM

Pretty sure it's some ass kissing myself as that same person also sent me merits for my sig campaign thread in this section within an hour of me publishing the thread. I cannot control who does or doesn't send me merit, but I def don't ask anyone to kiss my ass or anything.

Well industrial scale accounts farmers are doing exactly that and if he sent your merits for your campaign thread you are in his sights, he expects Grin

What do you think the result would have been if you posted in that thread to question the "DYING_S0UL" account why he congratulated you on a 4646 merit when as The Sceptical Chymist put it: If a merit count of 4646 is anything special, then any arbitrary merit count is as well.

It would be a fair question to ask because it would not be as though you were questioning "DYING_S0UL" about his relationship to any other name (or naim027) such as "Crypt0S0ul"

Quote from: yahoo62278 on Today at 01:59:52 AM

You can prob find more examples by looking at other campaign managers and seeing who is sending them merits. Likely going to find users that are kissing ass hoping for some consideration and a spot in a campaign.

I would not doubt that, it is probably going to point out a lot if a pattern related to some of what you suggested is already there.