Great comment, Ash. I can't speak for Steemit, but I'll give my answers based on the information and perspective I currently have.
If steemit.com is just a reference example for SMTs, is that the best use of their efforts? If their visions is 1,000's of sites using the STEEM blockchain and this is just one example to show what's possible, does it make sense to really polish it? From a certain perspective, having it just a bit off almost begs the "I could build a better site that that..." comment which might be what they are going for. They want people to build their own. They want a lot of people to build their own. In some ways, I think the future of the STEEM blockchain is each of us running our own personal client which connects to the blockchain directly via many full API nodes. Less centralization. More decentralization. That's an exciting future, but it's foreign to almost everyone. They are trailblazing here and not everyone is going to be comfortable with it. Some will be like those who asked Henry Ford for a faster horse.
I hear this one loud and clear, but think of it this way: If they did have a massive marketing push over the last 6 or so months and had a million accounts instead of 400k, would the performance issues we all experienced (and they had been working on for months), have harmed or helped the brand? If 2x or 3x the number of people were upset by the site not working well, could that have sunk them completely? This is something I'm trying to put into perspective. Marketing makes sense once the product is ready to be marketed. They are being patient, and they have the contact info of everyone who signed up. I heard @sneak say this multiple times, they will be using that contact information in the future. Marketing will happen. That's something I was doubtful about in the past, but I have more confidence in now that I know what they are doing with the notification system they are working on.
@ned addressed this in his fireside chat. From his perspective, it's much easier to build a commerce platform with a bootstrapped currency once the market cap of the currency grows large enough to bring stability as a useful store of value and medium of exchange. This answer bums me out a bit because I want alternative market solutions right now, but it may be completely correct. Also, the beauty of the platform is that anyone can build their own marketplace right now and/or wait a bit and fund it with an ICO of an SMT. I've tried to get thousands FoxyCart merchants to use bitcoin since 2013 and the reality is they won't until their customers demand it. Customers won't demand it until the market cap grows and it becomes part of people's daily lives. As for the logo, art is subjective. Love it or hate it, it's way better than having STEEM and steemit.com with the same logo, IMO.
A different solution as proposed by HF20 is key to enabling the growth we all want. Why do you say the white paper is missing? It's right in the menu:
That's part of the new notification system they are building out. Again, as an investor and user, would you rather they focus on notifications or keeping the blockchain from freezing up? Having talked directly with many of the developers about what they've been working on, I have a better perspective on how they prioritize, and I agree with it. It's easy to point figures from the outside, but in many ways we're doing so from a position of ignorance. From what little I heard about the notification system they are developing, it will be superior to what Facebook offers. We'll see (and yes, they could help with informing us more, but again, they have limited human resources at this point though they are growing the team).
I think this was mentioned also as something that's coming in the future. To me, this relates to number 2. If they grow too quickly and swamp themselves and the blockchain then does this whole party end? I'm okay with slow, steady, measured growth.
The roadmap concern is a good one, but I'd much prefer a team that is flexible with changing realities than rigidly sticking to a plan that no longer meets the long-term goal of "tokenize the web." Maybe we'll hear more about that vision in the future and those who feel it's too large of a vision and just want a blockchain social media site can look elsewhere and turn to competitors.
Great reply, Luke. The whitepaper link is broken...both that i've found (listed below) are broken and it's not on Steem.io.
And these are broken:
https://steem.io/SteemWhitePaper.pdf
---and---
https://steem.io/2017roadmap.pdf (from their previous post earlier this year using the @steemitblog as the official announcement) - https://steemit.com/steemit/@steemitblog/steemit-2017-roadmap
Both yield the same result.
Now, I agree with you that it create the "I can build something better" mentality. I guess i'm impatient and with a medium size budget ~$50k, a really slick website could be built. Something to impress people. Sure, if Steemit.com receive 3x the users as it did this year (which was still very impressive) it would have caused more network issues, I get that. For now, I'll be patient, but i sure hope to see an killer update form them early Q1 2018; competition is coming.
UPDATE: I see The Steem Shop is included in the sidebar. Good addition.
Ah, thanks for clarifying! I see there's an issue for that created here: https://github.com/steemit/steem.io/issues/15 I bought it to their attention as well. Hopefully it's a quick fix.
i'd also add the link: https://steem.io/2017roadmap.pdf
It is referenced in Google as well as on the official @steemitblog article (as well as a few others). Both links should be fixed.
Both are now fixed: https://github.com/steemit/steem.io/issues/15#event-1339955400
Yeah, my hunch is it's a related issue and when one is fixed, they both will be. I'll keep an eye on it.
You have hit the nail on the head. Steemit.com is one example of a STEEM website. Instead of investing in steemit.com; they want to make STEEM better so there can be 1000's of websites built using STEEM.
Chances of success on that path are very very low. At least 95% probability this strategic vision and goal will never be realized.
They are more than "swinging for the fences". They are trying to hit two out of the park home runs in a single at bat.
If they happen to make it, the sky is the limit for price of STEEM.
They are going down HUGE risk and HUGE reward path. Usually doesn't work out. Very infrequently it does.
I agree with you and yet... they currently have the one of the fastest, most used blockchains ever. They also have the only functioning social media website paying people for comments, posts, and upvotes via cryptocurrency. On top of that, new apps like DTube, DLive, DSound, ChainBB, Busy, Utopia.io, and more are being being built and maintained right now. The momentum and progress is quite impressive when we step back and look at it all.
I'm willing to hang on for the ride. Worst case scenario, they make a huge dent in the space and other competitors pick up where they left off. Either way, I think we'll all benefit by more decentralized tools improving the world.
I'll potentially be back after I watch STEEM price bottom in 6 months below $0.50, and see how the SMT vision is progressing.
There will be lots of time and opportunity to re-invest in STEEM in 2018, if any part or all of the SMT vision turns out to be real.