Thread: why do people trade invites?

Originally Posted by JustJenna

You're wrong. My boyfriend and I belong to some of the most elite trackers on the Internet and neither one of us ever traded, not even once.

When T-I allowed trading most elite trackers were rarely, if ever, found here. Since trading was banned, invites to SCC and SCT have become almost commonplace. Even FTN has been handed out several times.

My friends are members at **, **-* (may it rest in peace), FSC, FTN, SCC, SCT, GFT and the like... and not one person I call friend has needed to trade. Not once. People trade because they think there is no other option - and that's why patience is key.

First, giving an example doesnt prove anything, basic logic.
Second, there could exist a tracker in the world, where ppl who have invites dont do GAs, just trades, even if you dont think so or you dont know such a tracker.
Third, the trackers you mentioned are private sites with a definite amount of users, those are not expanding with time, but since T-I wont close its doors as far as i know, the userbase of T-I is continuosly growing, which means there will be a moment when none of the T-I members can be invited to those trackers. I know this is a rough assumption, but you know inner logic.

p.s.: this is a great place, i know, i've read a lot of threads, conversations, articles here since i've written my prev post you quoting, and my view changed a lot, still i believe my point is correct, at least i tried to be rational while i was making my reply. No offense. And sorry for my english :)

000. The giving away of invites means that only the best members are chosen, due to a good track record, to be invited.
They need to meet certain requirements that prove they have been around for a while.
If they are deemed trustworthy, and capable of becoming a great member on a tracker they get invited.

Now, trading invites is sure to get some people what they want.
However, it IS selfish, because nobody else is given a chance. Someone who has wanted the tracker for years might not get the invite, because some guy who traded his way in.
When you think about it holistically it's apparent that communities work better this way, and ultimately people still get what they want.
The top 100 repped people here, basically have every tracker they've ever really wanted except maybe a few ultra rares.

"000. The giving away of invites means that only the best members are chosen, due to a good track record, to be invited.
They need to meet certain requirements that prove they have been around for a while.
If they are deemed trustworthy, and capable of becoming a great member on a tracker they get invited."

I didnt say the opposite (at least i dont think otherwise now).

"Now, trading invites is sure to get some people what they want."

GAs are the same (some ppl get what they want). If more ppl do GAs then trades, then you are right, but if more ppl do trades, then you are not right. I dont know the exact numbers, but i bet you also dont know them either.

"However, it IS selfish, because nobody else is given a chance"

If you determine selfishness like this, then surely GAs also include selfishness.

"Someone who has wanted the tracker for years might not get the invite, because some guy who traded his way in."

Someone who has wanted the tracker for years might not get the invite, because some guy who applied on a GA his way in. Also true, even if you add that what makes you get picked on a GA. Your torrenting past, your real life behaviour OR your iGiver number (= invites you have on trades), your rep (= good, trusted trades made).

"When you think about it holistically it's apparent that communities work better this way, and ultimately people still get what they want."

Never worked in the history for a higher amount of community members.

"The top 100 repped people here, basically have every tracker they've ever really wanted except maybe a few ultra rares."

Im sure there are traders who made this.

P.s.: you mentioned (asked) different things than JustJenna and the first guy ive quoted, you didnt made their statements right, just replied to my arguments, which is ok for me :), but a bit unproductive. (i know im not better, i also replied to someone's post in the first hand :), i dont mean to be offtopic, but its a very interesting conversation).

Originally Posted by 000

"However, it IS selfish, because nobody else is given a chance"

If you determine selfishness like this, then surely GAs also include selfishness.

"Someone who has wanted the tracker for years might not get the invite, because some guy who traded his way in."

Someone who has wanted the tracker for years might not get the invite, because some guy who applied on a GA his way in. Also true, even if you add that what makes you get picked on a GA. Your torrenting past, your real life behaviour OR your iGiver number (= invites you have on trades), your rep (= good, trusted trades made).

Trading is selfish because you are only giving out your invite in exchange for what you desire. A giveaway is not selfish because you are receiving nothing in return. Also, you are giving everyone a chance to apply, not just someone who may have what you want. Now of course only one person can win, but still everyone is given a shot. You cannot compare giveaways and trades because they are entirely dissimilar.

Also, you mentioned that when private trackers reach their limits, the doors will close, no one else will be let in, but the community of T-I will continue to grow. You are forgetting that tracker admins regularly prune inactive accounts, ban members, and sometimes even increase the user limit. There will always be openings in trackers, some more rare than others, yet still available if you look hard enough. Trading is only necessary if you are impatient and greedy.

I actually agree with the no trading and the giving/receiving invites only. before i found the sight i was trading invites. It always felt stressful like a battle or like you could never get what you desired cause you didnt have enough good trackers. then you also had to worry who should give first and if you can trust the other person to give back.

That being said i do understand how 000 feels. To call trading selfish is calling all of us selfish. Our whole society is based off of trading, starting with the founding father of the 13 colonies. Even now we do everything based off of trading. But just cause we trade in everyday life doesn't make us selfish. I know people who give all the time. but there still involved in trading with people and in the world. So i think its best to specify what type of trading if your going to call it selfish and greedy unless we all are that.

In terms of Tracker invites I do believe giving is a better system. People are more polite and willing to help you more with your needs and wants. also people listen better, are more helpful , and try to help you more with questions. so maybe if our society is set up more to giving rather than trading it would be a better place?

playing a little Devil's Advocate here.

Originally Posted by konVILEuted

the giving away of invites means that only the best members are chosen, due to a good track record, to be invited.
They need to meet certain requirements that prove they have been around for a while.
If they are deemed trustworthy, and capable of becoming a great member on a tracker they get invited.

Not true at all. A member in the vip was banned by a tracker admin and the reason stated was "The proportion of traders to cheats on T-I far outweighs that of private trackers traders and cheats to good users". The giving away of invites lets in far more cheaters than trading does. When people give away invites like candy you are bound to let in a few bad apples.

Originally Posted by 000

GAs are the same (some ppl get what they want). If more ppl do GAs then trades, then you are right, but if more ppl do trades, then you are not right. I dont know the exact numbers, but i bet you also dont know them either.

Then the point is moot. You cant prove anything. Here are some numbers, the number of trades on this forum, 0. The number of invites being given, over 100.

Originally Posted by 000

"The top 100 repped people here, basically have every tracker they've ever really wanted except maybe a few ultra rares."

Im sure there are traders who made this.

How the f@$k would you know, you just joined this month. If you knew any of the people in the top 100 you would know they are not traders.

Originally Posted by 000

"It's a form selfishness and no one is ever happy" - Its not a form of selfishness. You know, the whole world works in this way, trading.

If you are referring to an economy, yes people trade/exchange money for goods and services. Businesses must pay employees, pay for materials, etc. In contrast to that, the TORRENT WORLD(not an economy) works by people being generous and donating money to trackers to help keep them running. Torrent trackers do not profit from people where as people in a economy do profit from others. One could argue selfishness is what drives an economy. I do not see Warren Buffet working for free but ask JustJenna or Dave how much money they make? None. Donations and ad revenue go to support this site. Trading is selfish, giving away invites is not. When you give someone an invite you really dont expect anything in return, except maybe for thanks and an igiver.

Originally Posted by 000

There are/were nations, where ppl try/tried to live in a way similar to "giveaways", you get what you need free and you give stuff free to others, but these communities are failing/failed in the past.

Hmm, our community seems to be doing just fine. Even with it relying on giveaway's we are growing by leaps and bounds.

You have said that giving away invites is selfish because only one person is given a chance. That is so not true. The opportunities for people to get invited to a site they want are extremely high here. Just like JustJenna has said "But since trading was banned, our forum has exploded - the market was flooded with GFT, SCC and even SCT. It wasn't until trading was banned that the first FTN invite ever handed out was given here, followed shortly thereafter by several more" Take a look at the giveaways sometime. if you come to this site and contribute enough to get access to the mid-level and trusted giveaway's and you still can not get an invite to a tracker that you are looking for then you are not looking hard enough(with FTN being the exception of course).

Trading invites relies on both parties having an invite to a site that the other party wants. If one party has an invite to a site that the other party wants but the other party has no invites to offer then that party will never get an invite from the party with an invite to offer. That is why trading invites is selfish and greedy. Traders only think about themselves.

Ok so that was a little bit one sided.