To Spammers:
There has been a recent flood of people posting spam on Discussion. I don't know if anyone at Duolingo is aware of this, but they should be by now. One of the most common spam posts is, "Gimme Lingots", or something to that effect. Why do they do it? Because it works! The last post I saw was someone asking for lingots and he had gotten 23! So, if you see something like that, you probably shouldn't give them lingots and maybe even downvote them. This is not craigslist, where you can go ahead and post, "lingots wanted".
Duolingo is a place to learn and a place to grow, why must you try to ruin it by spamming?
Duolingo should have a way where users can flag spam, and then their staff can remove them. If the spammers insist, they should probably be removed in accordance with the Guidelines, "https://www.duolingo.com/guidelines".
P.S. Please Donate Lingots? Nah Just Kidding! =)
81 Comments
Captain, well said! I am sick and tired of the 10 years olds (either literal or intellectual) spamming with "gimme lingots" (doesn't it always make it even worse when they use horrible spelling or grammar?) so I would also love to see a better filter for these people. It is a waste of everyone's time here on DuoLingo. Again, a big thumbs up for your post. I can see by the upvotes that I am not the only one who agrees with you!
I agree with your observations, DeutschMaus. The least a "beggar" should do in this forum is avoid writing with spelling or grammar mistakes ... and also say "please" :)
I like to give my lingots away to fellow Duolinguists as a mark of appreciation to their effort, ingenuity or generosity. Since you do not need lingots, please accept 20 "virtual lingots" for your contribution and cute avatar (in Spanish: un gracioso ratoncito de biblioteca / English: a cute bookworm). Alles Gute!
I also have an excess of lingots (if such a thing is possible) but I use them to give to high quality posts/big achievements (such as finishing tree).
Aw, thanks for the "virtual" lingots Khantuta! I am glad you like my "cute bookworm" :) I like your avatar too! :D
Thank you for your kind words, DeutschMaus. Keep up the good work with your German tree! Guten Nacht.
I'd give you lingots, but you already said you had over 500 of them. =)
Aw, well thanks for thought Captain, but yes, I have a lot of lingots already so I am good! :)
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I'm not sure why people give Lingots to beggars. It's not like you can't get them on your own through your own hard work. Everybody has a chance to get them.
I'm not sure why people give Lingots to beggars.
Well, you can only do so much with Lingots, after a while they become utterly useless. I give mine away as often as I can because I don't need nor want them, and if they make a newcomer happy then great.
I'd have to agree with you on this. It seems to be a rather useless currency with very little necessity. You can hardly do anything with them.
SO true. The only thing I find in the grand number of about, let’s say, about 5 things(
When I first came here I was thankful for people being generous with their lingots, as it enabled me to buy bonus skills, and skill test. Now though I have been slowly creating my own lingot stockpile, to give to others like they gave to me, and in part to save for future languages, to unlock bonus skills and test without having to beg... I know it sucks to see those post, but on occasion it really does help some new members.
Not only that but I'm not sure how people DON'T have lingots, they're so easy to get and you can't do much with them, I know mine just pile up.
I have 645 :P I'm trying to get to 1,000 and then I'll just use all of them to lingot bomb somebody
Maybe you could pick out a good comment/post every week and give the author of it a 50 or so lingot prize?
I don't have a reply option to your giant lingot nuke comment, but here's some uranium lingots for your nuke.
Yes Brooke, I have never understood what the fascination is for some people with getting lingots...you would think the things are 20 dollar bills or something. Do your lessons, and the lingots will come. Makes me wonder if those people even care a whit about actually learning a language.
Maybe there's a secret, underground black market for them, headed by a 21st Century Al Capone?
And since Duolingo is completely free, we can't get him on tax evasion :)
Oh man, this is the second comment on this post that I'll be spending the next hour laughing over!! Have a lingot.
Yes. But we all have a little bit of the lazy in us, and if they can get lingots by just saying, "Gimme Lingots", why shouldn't they do it?
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I can see why people would ask. I just don't see why people give them to beggars. If people have a boatload of Lingots that they want to give away, it's easy enough just to give them to people that make interesting comments rather than encourage begging.
Perhaps the best way to earn lingots, is to first learn the lessons, and then post MEANINGFUL comments on Discussion, do CORRECT translation on Immersion, and level up. For example, you posted a meaningful comment and have been given, as of when I posted this, 35 lingots! Why have I never had such luck?
There you go. Your post topic was great, Captain. Lingots all around. ;)
Drinks are on you! While you're handing out lingots you should give some to hackneyduo from whom I got the inspiration for this. https://www.duolingo.com/comment/6910403
Very good point Brooke. I give lingots away freely to people who are posting interesting or helpful posts that are language related. I have over 500 lingots but tossing them to a kid begging for them? Never. As you said, it just encourages begging. By the way, have some lingots for your great post! Ha ha! (I had to do it!)
Sorry Captain, the reply option was gone on your last reply, so I am putting my reply here...I tried to click on the link for Hackney's post but the sad Duo Owl came up and it had an error page for some reason?
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I suspect that the reason of "I WANT DEM LINGOTS" style posts is because kids who don't like Duolingo at all but found out of this "virtual currency" and want to get the most of it. I could be wrong but, who knows...
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Also: The moderators seem to be busy. There may actually be the same amount of spam, just that the mods are too busy to go on Duolingo and moderate.
I am not trying to defend spamming but there could be two friends that know each other and this is their way of exchanging lingots. That might explains how they got 20+ lingots. But if I do see these post, I will flag them. But I have a feeling that it might not be spam.
I have over 1000 lingots, they have no value to me... But keeping this forum clean would be very appreciated
I assume they are children who are excited about Duolingo and who want to get something cool in the Lingot store. As an elementary school teacher, I think I know what I'm looking at when I see those posts. And so, kind hearts give to children. If there is a veritable flood that jams up the discussion then, yes, something should be done to mitigate it. Alternately, maybe a "Kids Who Want Lingots" thread could be started. "Hey Kids! Come get your lingots here!" :D
Lingot begging: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/7000496
Spam: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/7000459
Here are two example of Lingot Spam, both were posted just today:
Just for the heck of it, not looking to donate, I clicked on both those links and got the "crippled owl" with Error 404, Page Does Not Exist. I hope they've been deliberately removed!
Here is a rather successful lingot spam post: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/6909588 If you don't like it, downvote it. =)
Give lingots, not just to the one who posted a discussion, but to anybody who contributes a GOOD comment to that discussion, as it is they who really make a post worthwhile.
I just love giving lingots away so that I feel better about not actually giving anything of real value to people- I'm a lingot philanthropist!
Haha, this is great. I can be a generous donor without having to worry about it making my wallet any lighter. :)
A tips for these spammers: If you really want lingots why not try posting some interesting and thoughtful questions and discussions to Duolingo? This will be guaranteed to receive more lingots than just asking for them! It also contributes positively to the Duolingo community. Problem Solved :)
Ya, i agree with your decision. One time i saw this guy asking for a lingot, he was literally like" Please give me lingots. I'm running out." like what the heck!
Danke! I have also been seeing this when I'm trying to actually EARN Lingots other than begging for them (thank goodness I haven't given anybody Lingots yet)...I totally agree with you; Duolingo is a free, language learning site/app so that you can LEARN a language for free, not a spammers "dream site" to where they can get free Lingots just by spamming. Viele Danke! ☺
When others stop giving them lingots. If we continue to give them lingots, they will continue to ask for them.
That's a reason I try to resist commenting on their posts as well; I'm afraid of encouraging them since they're obviously into any kind of attention including negative. I do downvote but only because I'm hoping lots of downvotes will hasten their departure from the boards.
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People will stop asking for lingots if duolingo takes them away. Not asking that they should, though.
Wow! There are discussions?! Cool!! I love Duolingo! How do you give people lingots? And I totally agree!
Look under a comment and you will see two buttons, Reply and Give Lingot. Click the Give Lingot button and there you go. This is the only way I know of to award people lingots.
