To be honest i don't know a lot about bitcoin development. Only thing i do sometimes use is Lighting network in podcasting apps. And that is only by sending some HBD through V4V to an podcasting app for tips. Looks like podcasts are one of the rare ones using it a lot.
Brianoflondon (he works on v4v) talked how Lightning will never be for everyday users as non custodial option for few years now. And in the end it will end up centralized by few big institutions running custodial wallets.
And from my limited understanding of how Lighting works, it makes sense that everyday crypto people will never run a node and maybe just use the service.
Brian's right. I had a long chat with him at HiveFest. Lightning is basically a centralized settlement layer.
It's easier than ever to use, and live off of, crypto in a completely decentralized, noncustodial way. But it's harder and harder on Bitcoin.
the ATM to cash you mentioned would probably be an option for me if i actually earned crypto :)
maybe it is a good thing that lightning is not so good. convenience would make people happy to use centralized systems.
See if any near you sell:
https://coinatmradar.com/
Good point, convenience is a trap, we all have stepped into before