@dantheman - have a separate suggestion. Let's keep the account sign up SP in the system. As of now members can only begin to power down after they build SP to 10x the initial amount that was given to then on account sign up.
Once they reach 10x they can begin to power down all of the SP from what I know.
A small tweak to that could be:
You can only power down to that account sign up amount. Meaning that first 8 or 10 given always remains in the system. It may not seem like alot but 8 SP per 100,000 equals 800,000 that stay in the system. Think about that # at 1 mil members.
It's a small action but it will atleast assist toward slowing and stabilizing the exit of SP. It's fair too, because it is was unearned gifted SP. Well, in my opinion.
And I agree on the 104 weeks, it smooths the boom/bust curve.
Then it won't be "free" anymore, more like "rented" or "borrowed".
Don't really see how that would change much, the amount is so low that the volumes at a later time will eat it up without caring too much about it, I believe. But I understand your view that it would be a way to hold back some SP from the markets, but users don't like having been lied to about the free SP.
What if it was just called "free influence," without any promise to actually allow it to be withdrawn? I think that would effectively take care of any false hopes.
That would be a good way to word it. So long as people know what they are signing up for up front is what matters. I don't think it would deter anyone from signing up.
You make a good point, it's like the betting chip the pit bosses give you at a casino... you can bet with it and keep the reward but you can't just cash it out... pretty good analogy