A newbie asked me how to tell if a project is "reliable or not."

I usually start by checking GitHub and audit reports, then see how the upgrade multi-signature is set up.
GitHub isn't about how many stars it has; honestly, it's about whether updates are continuous, whether core changes are explained, and if someone is responsible for fixing issues when problems arise.
Don't just look at the words "audited" in audit reports; the key is whether the issue list is relevant, how serious issues are handled, and whether there are major changes after the audit.
Upgrading multi-signature is even more critical: how many people can modify the contract, whether there's a timelock, whether the signers are a bunch of related addresses...
These are far more meaningful than L2 hype about TPS or competing for subsidies.
My biggest fear isn't slowness; it's chaos—slow can be tolerated, but chaos means you have no idea who actually received the funds.
The market never rewards overconfidence, especially when permissions aren't fully understood.