Seed community for a proposal doesn't have other StackExchange accounts (and have never heard of SE before), what to do?

Question

Hello dear Area51 community. We've faced a difficulty with the proposal. The majority of the initial community of people with whom I created the proposal doesn't have another SE account and had never heard of SE before. As a result, they are facing difficulties logging back and posting sample questions (they are specified as unregistered users). Here, I read that they must link their other SE accounts to ensure they are reliable users. Folks, one of them is a professor and established scientist in the proposed area. You want to tell me that some SE account can ensure his reliability better than his reputation? What exactly do we need to do to get all of us registered and post sample questions. We don't have much time at this point. Thank you. Ivan

Answer 1

We've found a solution.

If you try to share the link to the proposal with people who don't have StackExchange accounts and had never heard of StackExchange before, do NOT do that.

First, give them the general link to Area51 and ask them to sign up. Then EXPLAIN to them how to verify their email addresses to gain reputation (because without reputation they won't be able to participate in the proposal). Do not neglect this step: it is not straight forward to figure out how to verify your email address on this website. Give people detailed instructions.

Once they have their emails verified, they can either find the proposal in the list of proposals or you can share the link to the proposal with them (the second method is preferable because you get credit for sharing the link). Either way, they should 1) bookmark the proposal in their browsers, 2) click "follow the proposal", 3) upvote all the sample questions, 4) propose a sample question.

A side note to StackExchange hosts. I think, you've made it really complicated. I think, your policy about 200 reputation points deviates focus from giving good quality answers to rushing after points. Don't take my word for it, just go through this forum and see what people suggest to fulfill your 200 points requirements. I think, what they suggest doesn't serve the aim of creating quality content. But there is no other way to overcome your requirements.