You describe very well how bad the marketing has been!
I don't even know why you can't sign up via email or why there is no real app.
The reason is that every user needs to have some Steem Power to be able to use the platform. That has to come from somewhere and currently Steemit is paying for it. If it was easy to make as much accounts as anybody wants, a lot of accounts would be hoarded. That would bloat the blockchain (a lot of unnecessary data would be created).
Transactions are free in the Steem blockchain because they are rate-limited. Users can make only a certain amount of transactions in a time period (more SP user owns, more transactions he can make). This is how spam is prevented. Other blockchains use transaction fees to fight spam.
Blockchains have always trade-offs. If we want to have a free-to-use blockchain, we need to make accounts expensive.
I get this. But as far as I remember I did only need a Facebook account but also my phone number. I don't think many people have more than one phone. And more importantly if you really want to you can set up multiple Facebook accounts just like with your email.
But I get its ment to bring value to your account.
The thing with email is that it's very easy to create instantly thousands of new accounts. Fake FB accounts are much harder to make, although still possible.
By the way, it's also possible to buy a new account with BTC or LTC: https://steemit.com/steemit/@anonsteem/bypass-steemit-email-phone-verification-with-anonsteem-over-200-users
I've recommended AnonSteem for potential users who can't or don't want to use phone for making a new account.
Very good to know. I will bookmark it. Thank you very much.