Thoughts On The Bitcoin Beginners Territory \ stacker news ~bitcoin

Thoughts On The Bitcoin Beginners Territory

2473 sats \ 22 comments \ @siggy47 15 Feb bitcoin_beginners

Like most territory owners, my motive for owning this territory is not to earn lots of sats right now. This is obvious to everyone. Maybe I naively thought there was a need for the territory when there is not. I’m posting to get some input from the SN community.

The other day @mo created a poll asking whether the territory should be renamed. There were some good suggestions, and a good discussion as to whether there is a need for the territory at all. For instance, @benthecarman said this:

having bitcoin and bitcoin beginners doesn't really make sense, stacker news isn't big enough to need territories with that much overlap

This is a legitimate point of view. I don’t relish tossing sats away on a completely useless endeavor.

@DarthCoin said this:

If people just post garbage in the territory, it doesn't matter what name have. A territory like this ... for beginners" must have ONLY curated content, to help beginners, not confuse them more...

This is also very true . That’s why I hope this post generates some discussion. Let me know if you think I should abandon the territory. If not, please give me suggestions on how to make it a more valuable resource for those just starting to learn about bitcoin.

Moderation

Personally, I don’t like the idea of moderation, but I am persuaded that this might be the only route available to ensure there are only quality posts here.

If I choose to make this a moderated territory, I don’t want to be the one judging value of particular content, nor would I want any one stacker to fill that role. I would prefer a merit based voting system, maybe based on zaprank. For starters, maybe I should cull all posts that don’t reach a certain base level of engagement. I would have to decide what that level should be.

Ultimately I foresee fewer posts, with better content. I really want to stop crap from entering the territory, so I’m toying with this idea: Raise the cost to post to a really high amount, say 1000 sats. If stackers signal it is valuable content based on it’s zaprank, I will zap the poster back 2000 sats, which they earn in addition to whatever sats the post earns.

Stacker’s Basic Questions

I thought the main point of this territory was for it to be a space for new stackers to ask dumb questions. That has never happened. Still, I wish it would. Raising the cost to post to 1000 sats would not be fair just to ask a question. I don’t know how to resolve this given the tools as they currently exist.

I am really just thinking out loud. Please tell me your thoughts, including “just scrap the whole thing.”

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795 sats \ 1 reply \ @elvismercury 15 Feb

Raise the cost to post to a really high amount, say 1000 sats. If stackers signal it is valuable content based on it’s zaprank, I will zap the poster back 2000 sats, which they earn in addition to whatever sats the post earns.

I had a similar idea, and still think it's a good idea that gets you 85% of the way to what full moderation would provide.

As to whether it needs to exist -- less clear about that one. Would a btc beginner find the normal bitcoin territory off-putting due to breadth and complexity? I can see the value in something that's basically quality posts about the narrowest vision of bitcoin, by which I mean: many bitcoiners or bitcoin-curious are probably like myself, and do not swallow some of the stuff that has got mixed in with the larger bitcoin culture.

For instance, you don't have to desire the collapse of the government to believe btc has some value; you don't have to believe that it is the source of all manly virtues (for certain definition of 'manly virtues') to be interested in it. And yet that's the impression many get, and is a major friction to people coming onboard. I think, for many people, these mix-ins are considered core to the whole idea, where other mix-ins, like carnivory, are not.

So a territory that pared away all that shit would be a great contribution, I think. But, since all of that pared-away btc content is still fully legit ~bitcoin content, it would confuse people, probably, about where to post new things.

335 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 15 Feb

It seems like this territory will make the most sense as a sub-territory, once those roll out.

One of the problems is that many stackers have muted pretty much all of the "peripheral" territories. That means many of the best people to answer dumb questions are never going to see them.

I do think the role siggy envisions for ~bitcoin_beginners is really valuable, though. The kinds of content that most people find valuable in ~bitcoin is generally overwhelming for newcomers, while the content that's valuable for newcomers is too simple for ~bitcoin. Crossing those streams benefits neither.

243 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bitman 15 Feb

including “just scrap the whole thing.”

I've been told I've got an evil genius laugh - and that line certainly elicited one.

Seriously on your question though. I think Bitcoin is broad and deep enough for a large percentage of us to still have some serious blind spots.

I'd like to think that, if we're all being honest, we should all be able to dip into the basics, or ask for help, without any stigma.

Whether Bitcoin_beginners is the way to go I'm not sure.

But I think there'll always be a need for some sort of Bitcoin 101.

120 sats \ 3 replies \ @0xIlmari 15 Feb

I thought the main point of this territory was for it to be a space for new stackers to ask dumb questions. That has never happened. Still, I wish it would.

I'd also like to see this happen.

I think there are two effects at play there.

One is network effect, Reddit is by far bigger and better-known, so noobs tend to flock there. The sad part is, they are much less likely to get a useful answer than they would on SN.

Second is, the average SN user is already way more sophisticated than the average redditor and thus less likely to need basic help.

What imho SN needs is more marketing (perhaps targetting bitcoin newbies specifically), so that the user base grows organically, as opposed to being a shelter for intellectuals fleeing from the toxic cesspool that is Reddit (it is my thesis that this is currently the case).

The idea for this territory is not a failure, but perhaps too early or just needs more patience and external work.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Fabs 15 Feb

Nah, R/Bitcoin_Beginners is run by Bitusher, he knows his stuff.

30 sats \ 1 reply \ @0xIlmari 15 Feb

That's not where actual beginners go. They post straight to r/bitcoin.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fabs 15 Feb

It's mostly in relation to the "less useful answers" part, they're sure to be helped in R/Bitcoin_Beginners.

80 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 15 Feb

Are you getting some engagement from new bitcoiners who want to learn?

I think this territory has to be highly curated content with the best beginner focused educational content on various aspects of Bitcoin. Post the videos, podcasts, articles, blogs and then try to elicit feedback and further questions. Maybe a few experience stackers can be designated experts in certain areas and get tagged on related questions.

Just spitballing.

80 sats \ 0 replies \ @JuanMiguel 15 Feb

I don't see the point of this territory/sub.

207 sats \ 1 reply \ @cryotosensei 15 Feb

I don’t know whether it is me, but I do see a clear distinction between ~Bitcoin and ~Bitcoin_beginners. Or at least in the way I use it.

I post my reviews on how I use various apps like Fountain/Solitaire/Simple Bitcoin etc. The apps that don’t yield a lot of sats in the first place but nonetheless hold appeal for beginners to Bitcoin. I would be embarrassed posting about them in ~Bitcoin, but since there is ~Bitcoin_beginners, I thought my reviews would help those who just stumbled upon SN and are wondering the next step they can take to stack more sats.

When I wanted to ask something about Nostr, I posted it on ~Bitcoin because I doubt people who patronise ~Bitcoin_beginners would have heard of Nostr, much less used it. I remember browsing through the posts on r/Bitcoin before - and feeling shocked that so-called Bitcoiners are not aware of Nostr. But the good folks on ~Bitcoin will be able to help me.

I think the confusion stems from the fact that we all probably interpret beginners differently. After all, if we hold a lifelong learning attitude, we are perpetual beginners, regardless of our experience and expertise. But for me, I have a clear mental image of beginners. I think back to the time when I first encountered SN, just eager to stack sats in ANY WAY POSSIBLE. Even used satsforlikes for 1 measly sat haha.

@siggy47, you have already published a comprehensive list of useful resources for beginners. Maybe encouraging Stackers to expound on the content in each issues will help define the identity of this territory better. Examples of issues can be:

moving from custodial to non-custodial wallets
running your first node
getting paid in sats from your own content

My 2 sats’ worth

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 15 Feb

Good advice. Thanks.

40 sats \ 0 replies \ @joda 15 Feb

Scrap it. Let Reddit have the "Bitcoin Beginners". There is NOTHING new a beginner will ask, and there are SEVERAL GREAT resources for these questions. The best way to answer a beginner's question is always to send them to a response that was made years ago.

HOWEVER I THINK STACKER SHOULD HAVE A "RESOURCES" SECTION.

Between Lopp.net and Andreas' Youtube videos, no beginner question is left unanswered.

40 sats \ 2 replies \ @doofus 15 Feb

I just use the Bitcoin territory myself. I haven't seen many questions posted in the beginner territory.

4 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 OP 15 Feb

There have been none that I remember.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @doofus 15 Feb

I wouldn't have known to the extent beforehand, but it seems like most folks here are fairly experienced with Bitcoin, and use this to explore other topics with like-minded individuals.

40 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fabs 15 Feb

I'd say scrap it and have them ask their questions in the Bitcoin territory.

207 sats \ 0 replies \ @TNStacker 16 Feb

Agree with @DarthCoin 💯

207 sats \ 0 replies \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 16 Feb

Interesting thoughts. I like the territory for more beginner topics, discussions, and thoughts

207 sats \ 0 replies \ @npub1q67p49masrcjf__d7qaq6mwh0q 16 Feb

Please do keep this territory! I found good info here and so many people willing to help! Do not let it go.. if you do I'll take it :)

It is for me like the menu in a restaurant, a guide on an outdoor excursion! Moderate and keep it

38 sats \ 0 replies \ @Tef 15 Feb

I do think the role siggy envisions for ~bitcoin_beginners is really valuable, though. The kinds of content that most people find valuable in ~bitcoin is generally overwhelming for newcomers, while the content that's valuable for newcomers is too simple for ~bitcoin. Crossing those streams benefits neither.

As a newcomer to the fascinating Bitcoin world, I would agree with @Undisciplined. I would have expected more beginner-friendly content on the bitcoin_beginners territory, which is not too complicated for beginners.

But I don't really have any idea how to resolve this issue. Probably, the raise of the cost may help, but not sure about it.

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @GlobalThreat 15 Feb

rename it to crypto_currencies

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @joda 15 Feb

lol