I'm new to steemit also. A few days ago, I ran across something that said that the entire blockchain is stored on each witness's server. AFAIK from that document, the entire blockchain is stored as a single file object on a single computer, and that the data currently occupies something less than 200 GB.
If this is true, then the software is NOT scalable, notwithstanding claims to the contrary.
I don't want to start any rumors, but my best estimate of the situation is that the smart money knows that the software is not scalable and that the number of active users isn't growing at the rate hoped for, and so the recent introduction of resteem bots and upvote bots is the manifestation of a "take the money and run" exit strategy by people who hold lots of STEEM.
Fatal facts about the blockchain:
(1) Curation is no longer meaningful since it is not 100% human.
(2) The software is not scalable; a brick wall lies across the tracks up ahead.
(3) 90% of new users do not stay.
(4) Facebook has gone from 200 million to 2 billion users in the past 10 months.
(5) Paying people money for engaging with each other in community is inhuman; it turns people into dog trainers (and trainees).
(6) This is NOT a censorship free platform; the arbitrariness of Facebook's "PC Police" is merely replaced by self appointed whale PC Police here; a single whale can obliterate you if you don't have friends among the other whales.
(7) This is NOT an advertisement free platform. People pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to have their posts appear in the Trending list.
(8) When you blog here, no one will read you. It's like speaking for practice in a meeting hall before the audience has been admitted into the room.
That's my perception as a 40 day newbie here. Anyone who can point out where I've got it wrong is welcome to do so.
Good thoughts.. Although you seem to miss a few things..
There might be problems ahead in scalability, or at least some much needed upgrades to the blockchain.
But it is working now.
Facebook is loosing credibility fast, maybe not users, but renome, many other sites are gaining.
We might not get many views from other users but if you share your account link around to friends and family, like I have started doing, they can actually read all posts and comments WITHOUT being logged in or even having an account. That is more than facebook can muster.
Appreciate your thoughts a lot! Thanks for helping me understand and my other followers and friends and family members!
Hope we can keep growing together here, even though its difficult.. As I see it so far, the key is to invest a little bit of money and use it very wisely on the best bots and human resteeming services and so on. Apart from making the best effort we can to create exempleary and quality content that the masses crave and need!
Buying votes is inhuman. It is morally wrong. It's not about getting views or making money. It's about the kind of person you are. And pay for resteem services are SPAM.
@ideafarm
I think we can go a long way together here, possibly even generating a good income in the future here if:
We stay true to this kind of honest thought sharing.
We help the BlockChain and Community to survive and only crash when necessary (ROFL ; - )
I get some sleep soon ;) lol...
write you later mate!
This is not a game. These are real people here. Think about your own morals on the street, on the job, in the voting booth, and with your spouse and children. If you wouldn't do it there, don't do it here!
90 percent of users dont stay? Sounds a bit far fetched to me..? What sources do you have?
I can't cite sources. 90% loss is my best guess at the correct figure based upon the information and discussions that I've run across in my 40 days here.
The bottom line is that this platform does not retain its new users. I think that the problem is essentially a moral one; this platform is tailor made for spammers. As economists say, "Bad money drives out good."